


The Last Skywalker

by Awkward_Bookworm



Series: Rey and Ben Deserve Better [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Bendemption, Eventual Sex, F/M, Fix-It, Force Bond (Star Wars), Headcanon, Leia Organa Deserves Better, Leia Organa Ships It, Redeemed Ben Solo, Rey Solo, Reylo - Freeform, Slow Burn, TROS fixed, Trost Arc Spoilers, Virgin Ben Solo, Virgin Rey (Star Wars), how it should have ended
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:08:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22323082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awkward_Bookworm/pseuds/Awkward_Bookworm
Summary: “Rey, where are you?” he pleaded. His tone was soft, almost gentle, and so unlike his normal way of speaking. He was doing that more and more these days, and Rey found herself wanting to answer. There was a tight feeling in her chest, and she didn’t know where it was coming from.“You know I can’t tell you that,” she said, her stern voice almost betraying her feelings.Ben looked down, and his hair hung over his eyes. She desperately wished to push it back. Before she could elaborate on that thought, he looked up, his eyes now piercing.“Then I’ll tell you where I am,” he said. “And you can come to me.”[TROS FIX-IT based on the original leaked script-- minus the stupid parts].
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Rey and Ben Deserve Better [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1617067
Comments: 120
Kudos: 501





	1. Kylo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heartbroken and lost, Kylo goes to Mustafar to put an end to things, once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, so I read about the original script that they were going to use for TROS. It definitely had some promising parts in it, but it was also much worse than what we got in some ways, because there's NO Reylo or Bendemption. So I decided I pick out what I liked from it as well as parts I liked in the actual movie, and then use those to weave a completely new story that is ACTUALLY satisfying. I hope you like it, and please feel free to leave thoughts and comments below.

Blood red, the ground quaked, as the sand was displaced by one large black boot, followed shortly by another. His cowl flurried in the hot, dusty wind, and his hair whipped around his face. The red saber ignited as Kylo walked away from his TIE fighter, venturing into forest that lay just ahead.

He walked swiftly and confidently, but his tread was as a quiet as a ghost. The temple lay ahead, beyond the wood; inside, Kylo believed he would find a mysterious device. A device, he’d been told, that could end both the Sith and the Jedi. His stomach tightened as the image of the tan, brunette donned in white, crossed his mind. 

Twice, she hadn’t taken his hand, and ever since his mind was in tumult. The low hum made by the closing of the Falcon’s doors still burned in his mind, and he quickened his pace. He was almost at the forest edge when he sensed it. The force signature of many enemies. 

Instead of stopping and surveying the area, without warning, he bolted into a run. Likewise, the defenders of the Sith Temple ahead, picked up the pace. They came from every direction, but Kylo was ready. Effortlessly, he cut them down until only one remained. They reached the forest edge, and ahead lay the temple. 

It was grand, in a sick sort of way. Held up by columns and ancient architecture, it’s stone walls were worn with age, scars from long-past battles, and a fine layer of red dust. Around it was a small clearing, backed with what appeared to be another forest, although, judging from the smell, it must have been more of a swamp. 

Kylo moved forward steadily, his boots sending flurries of dust into the air. The creature before Kylo had fallen on its back, and was crawling, stumbling away from him like a scared child. Then it seemed to stop, knowing there was only one end in this situation. It rose, took a deep breath, and dashed forward. Kylo caught it in the air with a measure of the force and plunged his saber through its heart. The thud as the body hit the ground went unregistered as Kylo moved forward. 

As he grew closer to the temple, a strange knot began forming in his stomach, growing stronger with every step. Undeterred, he placed one foot on the first tall step, and then froze. 

There it was. That familiar voice in his head. He jerked his head to the right, his hair ruffling with the sudden motion. He narrowed his eyes and removed his foot from the step. The voice was calling him away from the temple, and without thinking, Kylo moved into the swamp. The voice beckoned him further, and Kylo almost plugged his nose in response to the putrid smell. Finally, the trees opened into another cleaning, and in the center of the water was a giant, round creature, already dead.

But Kylo’s eyes were fixed on something else. Something on top of the deceased. It looked like a spider, but it only had six legs. Its head was small in comparison to its large body and long, sinewy appendages. The bulbous eyes perched on top of the head were fixed on him, and the knot in his stomach began to make him feel nauseous. Maybe this feeling wasn’t coming from the smell of the swamp after all. Kylo swallowed hard on the rock in his throat and met the creature’s gaze. 

He could feel the dark force energy emanating from the monster in strong, thick waves. He shifted his feet and decided to break the silence. 

“My name is Kylo Ren, the Supreme Leader of—”

Its voice, which interrupted him, was sickening and high, but yet somehow full of dark malice. “I know who you are,” it said sharply. Its legs extended, and it pulled itself up to its full height, looking down on him with contempt. 

“And for you to have traveled all the way to Mustafar…” it continued, “well, you must be looking for ancient knowledge.” 

Kylo knew before even approaching the creature that he would need to clear his mind as a precaution. He didn’t let on to his intentions, in case this thing decided to end him there and then. He was sure that it could, too, as it appeared to be much older than he. 

“My Master, Snoke, wanted me to train as a Sith. But now he’s dead, so I’ve come here in search of further training.” 

The monster eyed him closely. Finally, it spoke, and this time its voice was lower in register. “My name is Tor Valum,” it began. “And I have trained the Sith that came before you, young Ren. But before I can agree to train you, you must prove yourself to the Dark Side.” 

Tor Valum raised one of its spindly legs and gestured at the temple. “Go inside and face yourself. When you return, I will know if you are worthy of the title, Sith.” 

It rested its leg, and its eyes glinted wickedly at Kylo. He clinched his jaw and turned around heavily, walking back towards the temple with an increased pace. All he had to do was find the artifact and make it back to his ship. Then he would be out of this horrid place, and he could finish what he started. 

He thought of her again, and his heart tightened. If she wouldn’t join him, then what was the point of it all, anyway. He was going to end this war for everyone. He was going to end the Jedi, and the Sith too. 

His footsteps echoed inside the temple, and his body cast wicked shadows on the walls. He didn’t know where to look, but the force was pulling him, and he followed. The temple was empty, devoid not only of life, but also any evidence that anyone was ever there. Kylo turned a corner, still following his gut, but when he entered the dark, dry hallway, he froze. 

Suddenly he felt very cold, despite the heat radiating from the lava planet. He turned on his heel quickly, cape flying, and was face to face with none other than Darth Vader. The breath escaping from Vader’s mask made a deep metallic sound that rattled Kylo, causing him to take a step back.

“You can’t be here,” he said, voice shaking. 

Vader didn’t move or utter a word. Kylo took another half step back before stopping himself. Why was he afraid? He tried to stand still, but he could feel his legs shaking. 

“You’re not really here,” he said, answering his own statement. He took a nervous step forward, but suddenly he couldn’t move. Vader had extended his hand, and Kylo felt himself being raised off the floor. His mind struggled, but his body remained limp. 

The voice that finally came from his hero was deep and menacing, and Kylo’s body wracked with an unexpected shudder. “You should not be here, young Solo.”

Vader moved closer while Kylo hung, suspended in air. “You don’t have the heart for it,” Vader continued. Suddenly Kylo dropped and was pushed into the wall. Vader was inches from him. If only he could reach his saber, then he could fight back. But Vader was holding him with ease. The struggle reminded him vaguely of the first time he met her. She was no match for him then, either. 

Vader chuckled uncharacteristically, and then did something Kylo would never forget. He removed his mask. But instead of an old, burned and scarred face, it was one of a young man. His hair was brown and long, about shoulder length. He even had a Jedi brand behind one ear. The young man smiled, and his mask clanked on the ground, breaking into pieces. 

“You were never meant for the dark side, my grandson,” the man said, and his voice had been transformed, sounding now like the vibrant young man he appeared to be. Kylo’s muscles released, and he immediately ignited his saber, slashing at the apparition. 

The man… Anakin? He moved back with ease, avoiding the killing blow. “Would you kill me as you slayed your father?” he asked, almost lightly. Kylo felt rage boil in his chest and he raced forward, slashing wide and hard. But all his efforts missed, and Anakin actually laughed. 

“He’s not my father,” Kylo roared, enraged by the laugh. “I am KYLO REN. Ben Solo is DEAD!” His swings became more erratic as his grandfather moved effortlessly back into the large room at the front of the temple, his feet grazing over the floor as he hovered backwards.

He caught up with Anakin and raised his arms to make the final blow. Before he could bring his lightsaber down on his enemy, though, it flew backwards out of his hands and he heard someone catch it. He spun around, quaking with rage. He was prepared to do anything until he saw—her. 

The anger melted out of him faster than water could extinguish a fire. 

Rey. 

Anakin’s hand on his shoulder should have made him angry, but Kylo didn’t feel anything. “She’s not even here,” he said flatly. “What is this?”

Anakin sighed. “The force has a way of showing us the things we really need to see.” 

Kylo observed Rey, standing there in her white, flowing robes. Her hair was slightly disheveled, like she was standing in the windy deserts of Jakku, and she held his saber at her side. It was extinguished, and she looked peaceful. Anakin squeezed his shoulder. 

“If you really want to be a Sith, grandson, then you need to do the unthinkable.” He gestured at Rey. “Can you really kill your other half?”

Kylo’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Other half? What are you talking about?” He turned to Anakin, confusion written on his face. 

Anakin shrugged. “You and she are two halves, a dyad. Two souls in one. You… complete each other.” Kylo was speechless so Anakin continued. “Why do you think the force has connected you through these bonds?”

Kylo didn’t hesitate. “Snoke connected us.”

“Wrong!” Anakin laughed again, and Kylo resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Snoke lied to you. Don’t you know? Tor Valum and Snoke have been using you for your whole life! Who do you think put those voices in your head?” 

Kylo hesitated. “If Snoke didn’t connect us, then you’re saying the Force did?” He paused. “Why?”

Anakin sighed, clearly frustrated. “Kid, are you even listening? You’re a DYAD. It’s uncommon and doesn’t happen often. This is actually my first time seeing it, but you and Rey share a special force connection. You should be trying to reunite with her, not kill her!”

Kylo turned back and looked at Rey. “She rejected me,” he whispered, his voice almost cracking. Anakin’s voice was somehow gentle when he spoke again. 

“Did she reject you? Or did she reject Kylo Ren.”

Kylo let the words settle into his heart, and he knew the answer he’d been hiding from. He didn’t move for a long time. Anakin’s presence was gone, he could feel it. Gone, but somehow not. He felt comforted in a way that he never had before. He had waited so many years to hear from his idol, Darth Vader, and when it finally happened, it didn’t go at all as he had expected. He suppressed a heavy laugh. 

Kylo raised his hand and his saber flew into his hand. He thought about the last time Rey had taken his saber from him back on Starkiller Base. He snorted. Is this the reason? A dyad? He moved closer to her image. It wasn’t really her, of course, but being this close made his chest warm. He looked into her eyes. 

Tor Valum told him he was going to have to make a choice, and Kylo recognized there were three options. 

He could “kill” Rey here, and become a true Sith. Since this was obviously out of the question, he threw the thought out. Her eyes were warm and sincere, and Kylo fought the urge to trace her face with his hand.

He could find the artifact, as he had originally intended, and end himself, Rey, and anyone else Force Sensitive. His throat tightened, and he decided to mull over the last option.

Was it even an option? 

He could do neither of those things, and he could find Rey. He could take up his old name, and… and what? Join the resistance? Or maybe instead, they could run away together.

Kylo laughed bitterly. She would never do that. She wouldn’t leave her friends that way. He looked into her eyes again and sighed. But could he really kill her? Maybe if he turned away from the Dark, explained to her that they were a Dyad… 

Resolve clenched in his heart. Kylo tightened his jaw and his lightsaber clanked as the metal hit the floor. He turned around and didn’t look twice as he passed the swamp or the forest. As he climbed into his TIE fighter, he took a deep sigh. 

This wasn’t going to be easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know this chapter is pretty dark and it's all Kylo, but I feel its important to develop this part before moving on, even though I really want to write the Reylo parts too lol. Please let me know your thoughts, because this is my first time writing in the Star Wars universe and I'm really nervous!!


	2. Lightsaber

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo knows what he must do, but does he have the strength to do it? 
> 
> Or in other words, it's time to build a lightsaber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the feedback everyone! I really appreciate it. I'm pretty pleased with how this chapter turned out, and I hope you enjoy it too. And strap in for a slow burn, because that's what I'm trying to do here haha.

Kylo sat back in his TIE fighter and realized something important. If he was really going to Rey, whether she was with the Resistance or not, she wasn’t going to be happy to see him. At least, not initially, but he was determined to make her understand.

He thought back to his last interactions with her. Snoke, electrifying her. Kylo, trying to block his emotions. Pulling her lightsaber clean through his waist. The Praetorian guards, and the ensuing fight. 

Her rejection.

And then Crait. First Rey turned him down, and then he had to see that stupid old man, Skywalker. Kylo felt his neck and cheeks burn with anger, remembering how Skywalker had taunted him. And to top it all off, Rey closing the doors of his father’s own ship in his face. Wait, Solo, his father? 

Kylo grimaced. Maybe he wasn’t willing to go to that far yet.

But he had made his decision to go to Rey and have her see reason, and in doing so, left his lightsaber in that dusty old tomb. He knew what that saber represented, and what evil deeds had been committed with it. Kylo knew he couldn’t go back for it. But he also couldn’t go to her without a weapon. 

He needed something to protect himself with, when Rey inevitably prioritized actions over words, as she so often liked to do. Kylo sighed and made his choice. He would go to Ilum, the Jedi planet, and find a new kyber crystal. He would need to make a new lightsaber before going to her. This would be a real test of worthiness, and he hoped that he could construct something new from his broken life, and that the Force would let him. 

He fired up the TIE and began his journey. And then she was there, in front of him. Sweat ran down her brow and she was breathing hard, but controlled, her face aglow with a blue light. She was beautiful. Her expression was focused, but when she saw his face, it hardened. 

“Ben,” she said simply. 

Kylo pressed his lips together almost painfully. He used to hate it when she called him by that name, but lately, he’d become more used to it. Still, after everything that just happened, it made his heart skip a beat and he struggled to maintain a blank face, his omnipresent mask. 

She deactivated her lightsaber and wiped her face with a towel. She had been training. Training to kill him, he thought absently. She seemed to relax, though, and looked him up and down. He wasn’t sure what the look meant, but Kylo felt some heat rise to his face and fought it off furiously. 

“Where are you? You’re sitting down, it seems,” she said curiously. “Are you—flying?” Her head tilted innocently with the question. She was so cu—

Kylo wasn’t ready to tell her that, so he decided to change the subject. “I didn’t think you’d want to talk to me after our last meeting,” he answered with as little emotion as possible. It was just an instinct, being distant, and one he wanted to kick, but old habits die hard. 

Rey’s eyebrows scrunched. She broke eye contact, and her next words came out with some difficulty. “I don’t know how I feel about you anymore, Ben.” 

His lips tightened. She looked back at him. “But I guess I still have hope for you.” She smiled, but he thought it looked strained. Kylo worked some controls as Ilum came into view before him. He needed to land, but this conversation was distracting him. 

“Rey,” he said, “where are you?” 

Her eyes widened. No, no, she was misunderstanding. 

“I want to see you. I just want to talk,” he added, his voice getting quieter with nervousness. 

“Ben, we are talking, right now,” she said a little sarcastically, or maybe defensively. 

Kylo began the descent pattern for the TIE and allowed some frustration to show on his face. 

“This is important,” he said, “and I want to talk about it in person. The force bond is—” 

As if to exemplify his point, the connection ended abruptly. “Unreliable,” he finished, feeling the familiar weight of disappointment in his belly. He landed the TIE with some difficulty due to the icy cold planet’s raging blizzard storm. 

He exited his craft, landing in the snow with a graceful jump, and it fluttered around his feet. Shivers racked his body immediately, and he surveyed his surroundings. Everything was white for as far as the eye could see. The terrain was mountainous and devoid of habitation. He knew that not so far ahead lay the temple, and inside the object he sought. 

Wrapping his arms around his body to protect from the windchill, Kylo began trudging through the snow. 

Once inside, the cold became slightly more bearable, and Kylo wandered through the halls. Would the Force really let him find a new kyber crystal? He wondered if his heart was too far gone, too dark, to be allowed such a thing. 

He remembered coming to this planet years ago with Master Luke and the other padawans. Back then, there was already discontent growing in his heart. The voices of Tor Valum and Snoke had already crept into his mind, but he was still pure, and he definitely hadn’t slaughtered people and planets as he had now. 

Kylo grimaced, reliving his childhood and his mistakes, and tried to block them out. He felt a tug to his left, and he turned into a room that was fairly unremarkable. It seemed empty, and Kylo wondered why the Force had led him here. He thought about moving on and briefly looked around again. 

Another voice spoke in his head now, but it was nothing like the ones from his childhood, twisting the truth and perverting his trust in his family. 

It was the voice of Anakin, and Kylo felt comforted. “Grandson, allow the Force to show you what you need. Stop fighting back.”

“I’m not fighting it,” he argued, “but this room is empty.”

Anakin groaned in annoyance and Kylo felt a rush of air whip his hair up on the backside of his head. He spun around. “Did you just try to slap me?” he growled angrily.

“You’re a Skywalker, that’s for sure. And a Solo, too, no doubt. Always so stubborn and self-assured.”

Kylo tried to control his anger but Anakin certainly had a way with words. Anakin chuckled. “And quick to anger, just like me. But you can control it, kid. You can be better than I was. I’ll do my best to help you. Now stop making this difficult and let the Force guide you.”

But Kylo wasn’t ready yet. He didn’t agree to being followed around by Vader’s force ghost and ridiculed. “Oh, so you’re willing to help me now,” he said snarkily, “but you didn’t care about that before when I needed you, did you, Grandfather?” 

Anakin’s ghost materialized in front of Kylo, and his face was downcast. His sudden change in demeanor culled Kylo’s rage. He relaxed, eyes fixed on his grandfather, who was no longer dressed like a Sith, but as a Jedi, in loose tan and brown robes. After some time, Anakin spoke, and his voice was soft.

“When you reached out to me, it was in anger and malice. You were already corrupted by the Dark Side, and I couldn’t reach you anymore. What you were asking for—I couldn’t provide. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you sooner, Ben.” 

Kylo felt his throat tighten and his eyes became misty against his will. 

Anakin continued, “But Rey has brought a new light into your life that wasn’t there before. Sure, you struggled with it before her, but her presence in your life has brought you kicking and screaming back. You’re closer to the Light than maybe you even know. She made you want it more, and now that you’ve finally cut the Sith out of your mind, it has become possible for me to connect to you.”

They both stood there, silent. Finally Kylo sighed and looked around, unable to make eye-contact. “I understand. I’m sorry I yelled, Grandfather. Thanks for helping me this far.” 

It was hard for Kylo to say these words, and they both knew it. Anakin smiled widely and gestured his arms out. “Then you’d better get back to your mission, kid.”

Kylo grimaced. “But one more thing. Stop calling me kid,” he said. 

“Sure thing,” he said, disappearing. “Kid.” His smile lingered in Kylo’s mind and he decided to let it go for now. He turned and looked around. Then he saw the box at the back of the room. 

“Surely not,” he murmured. “It can’t be this easy.” The tug in his stomach urged him forwards, and he approached the box slowly. Putting his hands on it gingerly, he opened the lid. Inside, there were many pieces of incomplete lightsabers. 

Kylo almost laughed. He practically had himself believing there would be a crystal inside. This was a good start though, and he took the pieces he would need out of the box and placed them in his bag. Later, he would need to assemble them. 

He left the room and moved through the temple, occasionally rubbing his hands together to curb the chill. As he moved down the hallway, he felt the sudden need to stop. To his left again, was another long, dark hallway. Kylo stared for a long moment, and adjusted his course. At the end of the hall, he opened the door into one of the most beautiful rooms he’d ever seen. 

This place seemed to be covered in ice and Kylo could see his breath. Ice crackled under his boots as he walked in. The room was cavernous, and towards the back, he could see stalagmites protruding from the floor. He made his way there, breathing on his hands for warmth. 

Finally, he reached the icicles and knelt down. Looking closely, he couldn’t believe it. A small kyber crystal rested, perched on the top of one of the icicles. Would this really work? Gently, he plucked it out, and looked around. He looked back at the crystal, and it twinkled, as if to say it was meant just for him. 

Kylo had been planning on taking all the pieces back to his ship and putting it together, but now, as he held what he needed in his hand, there was a great need for him to compose the weapon. He couldn’t resist the urge, almost like someone or something was pushing him to do it. 

He hurried out of the icy room and found the nearest worktable. Taking off his gloves, he laid all the pieces on the table with reverent care. He paused and took a deep breath, so he could admire what he was about to do.

It was time to say goodbye to Kylo Ren. By making this lightsaber, he was making the conscious choice to be Ben Solo, once again. He reached for the pieces and froze.

Was this right?

Fear gripped his chest. What if the resistance caught him before he found her? What if they kept him away from her and sentenced him to die? OR, what if the First Order found out he had committed treason. He would be killed and replaced by that pathetic, weak-spined joke of a man, Hux. 

Or what if he made it all the way there, and Rey rejected him again? 

Kylo took a step back and concentrated on his breathing. He became hyper aware that all his choices were made with Rey in mind. He needed her. But did she need him? She seemed to be doing just fine with that traitor, FN 187. His fists clenched, anger taking over. 

Hands gripped his shoulders lightly, and Kylo froze. Anakin’s voice was calm and anchored in truth. 

“This is how the Dark Side wins, my grandson. It feeds on fear and anger. If you let your mind go this way, it will all be for nothing.” 

His hands tightened in a reassuring squeeze and disappeared. Kylo stood, stunned. He slowly let the anger ebb away, and when he was sure that his breathing was even, he reached for the parts on the table again. 

“It feeds from your fear and anger,” Kylo whispered. Slotting pieces together, he pulled out the kyber crystal and was overcome with a feeling of calm. He notched it in its place and clenched the saber together. 

His thumb grazed over the ignition button, and another twinge of fear settled on his heart. What if it ignites blood red? He closed his eyes and stilled his heart. 

When he pressed the button, he heard the saber roar to life, and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. When he opened his eyes again, his face was illuminated by the glow, basking him in a vibrant shade of blue. 

Kylo felt his heart sing and the Force was all around him.

“Don’t worry, Rey,” he whispered. “I’m coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighttt, so Kylo is beginning to feel more comfortable being Ben Solo. BUT he still has a lot of fears and reservations, making him susceptible. But don't worry, because the good stuff is coming. I'm really enjoying writing his inner struggles and would love to hear your thoughts too!


	3. Rey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's take a short break from Kylo and see how Rey's doing!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, the response to this story is much more than I was expecting! Thank you guys for all the love and support. I hope you're having as much fun reading as I am writing.

Rey looked at Kylo Ren with apprehension and hesitation. He wanted to know where she was. How familiar. 

“I want to see you. I just want to talk,” he said. 

He was being difficult again, she thought. Why couldn’t he just tell her now? She examined his face. He seemed distracted, but there was another emotion there she couldn’t put her finger on. It was typical of their conversations though. 

She was drawn to him, and a part of her was tempted to see him too, but her rational thinking always won over her emotions. This was probably a trap anyways. 

“Ben, we are talking, right now,” she said, deflecting his argument. But he persisted, his voice urgent.

“This is important, and I want to talk about it in person. The force bond is—” 

Abruptly the bond severed, and Rey was disappointed. “Is what?” she mumbled to herself. The conversation was tiring, and suddenly she didn’t feel like training anymore. She chugged some water, clipped her lightsaber to her belt, and opened the door.

Walking out of her room, Rey wandered past the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. It was empty as she passed, and jumping outside into the grass, Rey breathed in the fresh air deeply. 

The resistance base wasn’t much, but it was pretty. Situated in the middle of a lush forest, Rey had never seen so much green before. She remembered how arriving on Takodana had been such a shock. There was so much grass and lake there. It was a good memory. Han had offered her a blaster, and—

Rey didn’t want to think about Han right now. 

She shook it off and found Leia inside the open-air base nearby, talking to BB-8. The droid was beeping enthusiastically. Both of them looked over when Rey was close, and Leia smiled warmly. 

“Hello, dear. How’s your training going?” 

Rey smiled back. “I just finished some combat routines. I’m thinking about running the course.” 

Leia nodded approvingly. “Before you go, I want to talk.” Rey nodded. “Ever since the First Order cut off communication between planets, it’s been difficult to congregate the rebellion,” she began. 

Rey knew very well. Under the supervision of Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, General Hux had ordered a complete block on communications and travel between planets. Anyone who dared defy these orders was eliminated, no questions asked. 

After Crait, so many people tried to come once they heard the distress call, and the Resistance figured the blockade was to keep them apart and under control. Rey put her hands on her hips and waited. 

“So, I’ve sent Finn and Rose on a secret mission.” 

Rey’s eyes widened. “Wait, wait, a secret mission? Alone? I should be there with them!” she insisted. 

Leia smiled in the graceful way she always maintained, and Rey stopped, realizing she was overreacting. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I just worry that they could use more help.” 

Leia stepped closer and clasped both her hands. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I know these two are your good friends, but you should give them a chance to prove themselves. They are very capable.” 

Rey took a few calming breaths and nodded. “So, what’s their mission?”

Leia grinned, and somehow it was reminiscent of Master Luke. “On Coruscant, there’s an old Jedi temple. Inside the temple, there’s an ancient beacon that the Jedi used to call the galaxy to war.”

“If Finn and Rose can light the beacon, then the rebels will know that the battle isn’t over, and they’ll converge there. The First Order can’t be everywhere at once. We have to rely on strength in numbers, and everyone has to go at the same time for this to work. Once we’re all together, we can make our stand.”

Rey scrunched her nose. “It seems like a long shot,” she said, unsure.

Leia laughed lightly. “Isn’t it always, though?”

The plan made sense, and Rey didn’t have any better ideas. She nodded with resolve. “Okay. Where are they now?” She asked.

“They’re already gone,” Leia said. “They didn’t want to distract from your training.”

Rey felt her heart sink. She didn’t even get to wish them luck. What if something happened to them? Leia sensed her unease and squeezed her hands. 

“Don’t worry,” she emphasized. And if anything does go wrong, Captain Dameron is following at a distance with his own team to back them up.”

“Okay,” Rey said. It helped, knowing that Poe was keeping an eye out too. She removed her hands and took her lightsaber from her belt. “Then I’m going to run the course.”

Leia nodded. “Good luck.”

Rey turned around and burst into a sprint headlong into the forest. As she ran, she could feel her focus returning. She crossed a log perched across a ragged dip in the forest floor and placed a helmet on her head. A small droid beeped to life and began shooting harmless training shots at her. 

Rey deflected them with ease and crossed the hole. On the other side, she removed the helmet, and continued her run. It was hot, and her hair was plastered to her face, but Rey didn’t notice. 

She climbed a tree and cut some rope from the branch. Jumping down, she dodged more blaster shots and continued the run. 

And then, without warning, she felt eyes on her again. He was back. She skidded to a halt and whipped around. 

Ben was there. Didn’t they just speak not even an hour ago? She was going to say something sarcastic until she saw his expression. She bit back on her tongue. He looked—excited. Rey had never seen such a look on his face. 

Come to think of it, Rey hadn’t seen him make many expressions at all. He had an incredibly passive face. She deactivated her saber and tried to catch her breath. Ben walked towards her, stopping when he was only a few feet away. 

He was shivering slightly. Was he cold? She felt the sudden urge to wrap something around him but pushed it back. Instead, she spoke. 

“That didn’t take long,” she remarked. 

“No,” he answered. Rey tried not to get annoyed by his lack of words. She stomped her foot unintentionally and glared at him. 

“I was kind of busy,” she said. “Is there something you want to say?”

Something flickered in his face, and Rey became curious. 

“There is. I have something to say. But not through the force bond.” He paused, waiting for her to answer. When she didn’t, she recognized a trace of annoyance pass over his features. 

“Rey, where are you?” he pleaded. His tone was soft, almost gentle, and so unlike his normal way of speaking. He was doing that more and more these days, and Rey found herself wanting to answer. There was a tight feeling in her chest, and she didn’t know where it was coming from. 

“You know I can’t tell you that,” she said, her stern voice almost betraying her feelings.

Ben looked down, and his hair hung over his eyes. She desperately wished to push it back. Before she could elaborate on that thought, he looked up, his eyes now piercing. 

“Then I’ll tell you where I am,” he said. “And you can come to me.” 

Rey froze, not sure how to answer. Leia wouldn’t agree to that, would she? She swallowed, but the lump in her throat wouldn’t go away. 

“Wait, Ben, I—”

But he didn’t wait, and instead took a step closer to her, invading her personal space. Rey nearly stopped breathing. 

“Meet me on Kef Bir,” he whispered. “Then we can talk.”

Rey strained to clear her mind and think of something to say, but this was all so much. She didn’t know if she even wanted to see him, if she trusted him, if she could get permission to go, or if she’d have the nerve to sneak off. He wasn’t breaking eye contact, and something about the look in his eyes made her soften. 

“How will I find you?” 

It was only for a second, but Rey could have sworn he smiled. 

“Don’t worry,” he said softly. “I’ll find you.”

Before she could reply with something sarcastic, he was gone, and she was left standing there, feeling awkward and guilty. And alone.

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” she muttered to herself, trying to shake off the feeling that she’d just broken some schoolyard rule. It wasn’t like she agreed to meet him. And standing close to someone isn’t a crime either. 

She pictured his hair over his eyes, blowing, and the look on his face. 

Was it confidence? 

Rey shivered. Why does he always have this effect on me, she thought angrily. She holstered the lightsaber and ran back to base without finishing the course. 

So much for training today. 

As she arrived back in the clearing, the sun was beginning to set and Leia wasn’t there anymore. Rey looked around and spotted BB-8 and Chewie seated by a fire pit. Chewie. How could she take Chewie’s ship to go on a secret trip to see the man who killed his best friend? It wasn’t right. 

She stopped herself. When did she make that decision? “I won’t go,” she whispered to herself, as she approached the pair. Before she made it there, she spotted Leia sitting on her cot, alone. 

Rey changed her direction and sat down next to her. “I didn’t finish the course,” she admitted with a little bit of shame.

Leia looked at her with a trace of motherly worry. “Are you okay?” she questioned. 

Rey shrugged. “I guess I’m just tired today,” she admitted. It wasn’t totally wrong. Kylo… Ben was exhausting to talk to. “I know it sounds like excuses,” she said lamely. 

Leia smiled. “You’ve trained hard Rey, but I think it’s time you went out there and faced things. You know, Luke, Han, and I weren’t ready for it either. If you keep waiting until you feel ready, you’ll never go.” 

Rey felt conflicted. She knew Leia was right; she was never going to feel ready. But it also felt like Leia was telling her to go see him without even knowing it. Rey wanted to tell her that she’d spoken to Ben, but she was afraid of the consequences. She honestly didn’t know how Leia would react.

She smiled. “You’re right. I need to get back out there,” she said quietly. She paused, and then ventured her question. “Master,” she started.

Leia looked at her expectantly. 

“Do you think that Kylo Ren can ever be brought back to the Light?” 

Leia gave her a sad smile and folded her hands over her lap. 

“Rey,” she said, her voice catching for a moment. “Yes. I think about my son every day, and all I want is for him to come home.”

That was all she needed to hear. Trap or not, she was going to see him. Tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, I am trying to integrate things together in a different way than the movie chose to go. I plan on only keeping good things and changing the rest. I guess it's worth noting at this point that Palpatine will NOT be a part of my story. But I don't want to get into that... So I hope you enjoyed and would be extra grateful for any comments!


	4. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben finally meets Rey in person to tell her the secret about their connection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for supporting this story so far! It's helped me write so much faster!!

The waves broke heavily against the rocky shore, thrashing and lashing with a fervor Ben hadn’t seen before. He stood against the shoreline, hair whipping around his face, and surveyed the wreckage half buried, further out at sea. The sea spray was wetting his already heavy garments, and while he waited for Rey, he considered removing some of these unnecessary layers. 

Ben looked around, impatiently, and sighed. It was taking her longer than he would have liked. Another gush of water soaked him and he stepped back, wiping his face. He slicked his hair back from his forehead and removed the cowl from his shoulders. Hesitating, he looked out into the ocean, and then clenched his jaw. 

He wasn’t Kylo Ren anymore, and he didn’t need these clothes either. At the first chance, he planned to change his attire. In the meantime, he balled up the cape, and with all his strength, he hurled the cape into the angry deep. Then, for good measure, he removed his top shirt, and chucked it away as well, leaving only a thin blue shirt underneath.

Ben took a deep breath and looked back at the ruins. It’s like a metaphor for my life, he thought bleakly. Broken, drowning, and alone. 

The heavy sigh beside him was dramatic, and Ben expected to see Anakin there, but instead he found himself face to face with the force ghost of Skywalker, of all people. His face changed immediately, and he looked away. 

“Why are you here,” he growled. Just because he’d decided to abandon the Dark didn’t mean he had to like everyone either. 

“I told you that if you cut me down in hate—” Skywalker began. 

Ben whipped to his right, facing Skywalker head-on. “Yeah,” he interrupted, “But I didn’t, did I? I seem to remember you doing that to yourself.” 

Skywalker smiled, and it was a strange smile. Ben thought he could detect a little sadness inside. 

“Ben,” he said. “What are you doing?” he asked softly. Ben could feel his annoyance growing, but as he looked at his uncle’s face, something changed. Skywalker wasn’t trying to roil him, as per usual. This was a sincere question, and much to his displeasure, the anger ebbed away. Ben turned back towards the fallen Death Star. 

“Well, it’s true, isn’t it? This wreck is a perfect metaphor for my life.”

He expected a quirky, witty reply. His Uncle had always known just which buttons to press, even before Ben had shed his name and family. But none came. Instead, someone else answered. 

“I don’t think so,” she said. Skywalker’s ghost was gone. Ben spun around fast, and his boot caught in a puddle, causing his to lose his footing for a moment. 

He almost fell, and Rey took a few quick steps forward, but stopped when he regained his balance. What was she going to do, catch him? Embarrassed, he stood up straight and closed the distance between them until they were as close as they were on the resistance base. 

Rey eyed him curiously, saying nothing. 

“You don’t think so?” he said. “Who were you talking to?” she asked. They had spoken at the same time, and Rey laughed lightly. She wiped some errant water from her face as the ocean continued its tumult. 

Ben looked away, unable to maintain eye contact. “Isn’t that the ruins of the Death Star?” she asked. He nodded, not looking at her. Since when was he this nervous while talking to Rey? 

“Ben,” she said gently. Slowly, he looked into her eyes. “Why did you call me here?” 

“Why did you come?” he retorted. She looked confused, and honestly, he felt a little confused too. He didn’t know why he answered her that way. She smiled awkwardly, grasping one arm with her left hand, and looked away. 

“Um, its complicated.” She looked back at him, dropping her hand. “I guess I have some things I want to talk about too.”

She raised one hand slightly, as if she was going to touch him, but stopped. Her eyes lingered on his face, and he wondered what was so interesting that held her attention. Then they drifted down to his shoulders. She seemed confused, and then she noticed his saber, attached to his belt. 

“You changed your look,” she said. “And your saber too.” 

He was confused. “My … look?”

Her hand dropped to her side and he felt an unexpected jolt of disappointment. 

“Your hair,” she said, and a rosy color tinted her cheeks. “Your clothes.” She gestured vaguely with her hand. 

He unclipped his lightsaber and she immediately tensed. He stopped, and then slowly raising it, extended his arm. “This is new, too,” he said. 

He could tell she didn’t know what to make of the situation, and he had to admit, he hadn’t really explained anything yet, so that was completely understandable. He pulled back his hand. 

“Maybe I should explain first,” he muttered. 

She nodded, waiting eagerly. Ben opened his mouth, paused, and then closed it. How to begin.. He looked down at the new saber in his hand and all it represented and sighed. He knew he couldn’t just say, ‘oh by the way, I’ve decided to come back to the Light. Will you accept me?’ 

His pride was making this hard, so he decided to start from the beginning. Looking her in the eyes, he began. 

“I went to Mustafar in search of an ancient relic—”

Rey narrowed her eyes. “Wait,” she said. “Isn’t that a Sith planet?”

Ben was surprised. How did she know that? Judging from the look on her face, she seemed proud of her knowledge. “I’ve been reading Master Luke’s journals,” she explained. 

He forced himself not to roll his eyes. “Yes, it’s a Sith planet. May I continue now?”

She looked upset, but nodded nonetheless. 

“There I met someone important whom I’ve been seeking for a large part of my life…” Ben found himself becoming emotional, and as usual, tried to bury it. “The force ghost of my Grandfather, Anakin Skywalker.” 

Rey’s eyes bulged. “ANAKIN Skywalker? You mean, Darth—” She sputtered, but Ben cut her off. 

“Yes,” he replied curtly. His tone silenced her. “And he told me about you.”

Rey took a step back and waved her arms around in front of her. “Wait, what? Whoa, slow down, Ben,” she stammered. “Anakin… Darth Vader told you about me? What would he know about ME?”

Ben wouldn’t let her back away, not anymore, and instead followed her backwards. He reached out automatically and grasped her arms by the shoulders. She seemed startled, and blindly yanked herself out of his grasp and pulled her saber up, igniting it. 

This was not going the way he wanted. 

“I should have known this was a trap,” she said, her voice cracking. “I mean, why here of all places, by the Death Star? And then you bring up Sith planets, and— and Darth Vader?” 

Before he could process how to reply, she charged at him. He whipped up his own saber, very glad now that he’d taken the time to forge it, and his electric blue plasma met her own with a violent clash. Rey’s muscles loosened when she saw the light radiating from his lightsaber, and she slowly stepped back. 

She didn’t turn hers off though and watched him with a rising level of confusion. 

“That color,” she said, “how did you… when did you?”

Ben dropped his fighting stance and deactivated his own saber, clipping it back to his side. He wanted her to see that he wasn’t here to fight, and it seemed to be working. Slowly, but surely, she relaxed her stance as well, and finally shut off her own. She still held it tightly in her hand though, unwilling to put it away. 

“May I finish now?” he asked calmly. She laughed incredulously, and the nodded with impatience. 

“Anakin told me what you and I are,” he said, “and why we keep experiencing these Force bonds.”

Rey shook her head. “I thought that was Snoke,” she argued. Ben raised a hand and shook his finger. 

“That was another lie. No, it wasn’t Snoke at all.” 

Rey took a cautious step closer to him. “Then who was it?”

Ben’s eyes softened. “Not who, but what. You and I, we’re special.” 

He was almost whispering at this point, and with the waves crashing behind them, it forced Rey to move even closer, bridging the gap between them step by step. 

“Rey,” he said, struggling with his words. “We are a dyad.” 

Rey didn’t understand. “What does that mean?” she asked sincerely. 

“Your soul and mine are connected. Together, we make one. That’s why we feel together and can connect through the Force.” 

It was becoming harder to get the words out of his traitorous, sticky throat. 

“We belong together,” he finished. Rey stood maybe a foot from him, and he thought she looked on the verge of tears. She knew he was telling the truth, and although this knowledge had brought him immense peace, he could see the conflict raging within her. 

“I told you after the throne room,” she said, her voice weak. “I can’t join you.”

Ben felt the last of his self-control leave him, and he offered her a small smile. It transformed his face into something beautiful. 

“You don’t have to,” he said. “I’ll come to you.”

Time stopped as he watched her reaction. He wasn’t sure what she was thinking and figured she must be blocking him out. His heart began to sink again. 

She doesn’t want me anymore, he thought. I lost my chance when I didn’t go with her after the throne room. I’ve done too much for her to forgive me now. How could I ever think I would be able to return to her, or my mother? It’s too late. It’s way too late. 

Pain ripped through his chest, and he stumbled back. This time though, Rey moved forward and grabbed his shirt, yanking him back towards her. He had to put his hands on her little shoulders to steady himself. 

She smiled, but Ben was sure she was about to cry too. How does that work?

“Are you being serious?” she asked, her voice quaking. “Is this real?”

He removed one of his hands, and hesitated. Then he delicately cupped her cheek. Her eyes were soft and hopeful. He knew in that moment that he would do anything for her. 

“See for yourself,” he whispered, opening his mind to her, allowing her to search his thoughts and feelings. And she did. 

Rey didn’t waver, and pushed into his mind boldly, probing his wants and desires to join her in the Light. She swallowed hard, and when her mind left his, he felt a strange emptiness where she had been. 

“You’re not lying,” she choked. Her hands were still gripping his shirt tightly, but she let go and wrapped her arms around his waist with such strength and purpose that Ben was stunned and stood limply for several moments. 

Shaking, his hands found their way around her back, and he buried one in her hair, keeping her cheek flush against his chest, while the other gripped her robes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry for that ending, but don't worry, Ben and Rey are growing closer by chapter. The slow burn WILL pay off! In the meantime, please let me know your thoughts!


	5. Concessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben struggles to overcome his demons; Rey suggests a first step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh boy oh boy I hope you guys enjoy the update! I know I do haha

Time wasn’t a concern anymore, so Ben wasn’t sure how long they stood there, gripping each other for dear life. He felt the cold spray of the water behind them on his back, and he pulled Rey as close as he could, basking in her warmth and the comfort her embrace brought. 

She began to stir against him, and almost defiantly, he held her even tighter, afraid that she would end their contact. He wasn’t sure he could handle that quite yet. He felt her murmur his name into his chest as she attempted to readjust, but he wouldn’t budge. Finally, she gave in to him, and in their newfound position, he felt her nose tickle his neck. 

Then, a shock ran through his whole body as she rested her face in the crook of his neck. 

“Ben,” she said again, her breath hot on his skin. She sounded impatient, and he let go sharply. His restraint was dangerously thin, and he worried if he held onto her for any longer, then he might do something foolish. 

Looking at her now, Ben observed Rey’s face was a deep hue of red and she refused him eye contact despite his best efforts. 

“So,” she said breathily. “I have a lot of questions.” 

Ben repressed a grin. “Yes.” 

She dared looking at him and found she didn’t yet have the nerve. Apparently everything else was much more fascinating than the man before her. She took a steadily breath. 

“When did you decide to renounce the First Order?” she said, “And how did you even have time to make a new lightsaber?” 

The second question was spoken with an incredulity that he simultaneously found both amusing and insulting. But she still wasn’t looking at him, and that couldn’t stand. 

Ben crossed his arms and stayed silent. Once she realized he wasn’t answering, she glared at him and found that he was waiting patiently for her. 

“Rey,” he started. “I was planning to end the Jedi,” he admitted. She winced. “But I was going to end the Sith too. I …” 

Again, his pride was becoming a problem. 

“I didn’t see the point in continuing any of this without … you.”

Her heart mirrored his, he felt it, and he knew she understood him. 

“But when I learned we are cut from the same cloth, I found myself realizing that there’s another way.”

Rey’s face broke into a grin that surprised him. “Well I won’t say I told you so,” she teased. 

“You just did,” he mumbled inaudibly. She motioned at his saber. 

“And this?”

Ben felt his chest swell. He was still overcome that his lightsaber glowed blue, that the Force had accepted him. 

“I just made it, actually. I wanted to show you that I’m serious.” 

She nodded and touched her chin, thinking aloud. “But I wonder if you’ll be able to use it for a little while.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Why’s that?”

“Hm?” Rey’s hand flew down and she seemed embarrassed. “Well, the Resistance may not feel totally comfortable with you having it right away.” 

Her voice trailed off as his face darkened. 

“Ben?”

He stuffed his hands in his pockets. 

“Who said I’m going to join the resistance?” he said thickly. 

Rey’s face dropped, and she moved closer again, grasping his shirt with both hands. 

“Ben,” she pleaded, “what’s the alternative?”

Her question was supposed to be rhetorical, but he answered anyway, looking deep into her eyes. 

“Let’s run away together,” he said. It wasn’t spoken with his natural level of confidence, but came out more like a plea, and Rey’s expression both softened and crumpled. 

“We can’t,” she pressed. “They still need us.” And then with more care, she added, “and your mother needs you, Ben Solo.”

He shivered involuntarily. “She doesn’t want to see me.”

Rey let go of his shirt and searched his face. Reaching up slowly, she cradled his cheeks in her hands, forcing him to look at her. His eyes were wide, and shockingly, moist. She caressed his cheek with a thumb, and her next words came out in a whisper. 

“You know that’s not true. She misses you and loves you. What she wants most in the world is for you to come home.”

But he wasn’t ready to give in yet. 

“It’s too late,” he argued. “I’ve done too much. I’m a monster, remember?”

And she did remember that conversation, but it felt like a lifetime ago. 

“No,” she said powerfully. “Not anymore. Aren’t you the one who said, ‘let the past die’? You’re Ben Solo, and it’s time to see your mother.” 

Her voice almost broke. “It’s time to atone.”

He could feel the emotions threatening to overtake him but didn’t think he could stand for her to witness them. He tried pulling back, but Rey was too strong. She was his equal after all, and she held him firmly.

Ben remembered defecting from Skywalker, turning to Snoke. He recalled how it felt to kill innocents, and order massacres. He remembered Starkiller base, when he last saw his father. And when he pierced Han’s heart, Ben’s own heart was scorched as well. It tore him in two, and it almost destroyed him. Could he atone? Could he really? 

“You can,” she whispered, as if she read his mind. 

He focused on her again, only her, and the floodgates broke. His whole body convulsed, and he clutched Rey, dragging her into another vice grip. Burying his face in her shoulder, he sobbed. 

She seemed ready, and her fingers weaved their way into his wild hair, holding him close. Rey cradled him until the tears subsided, leaving him raw and empty. At some point, they had both sunk to their knees, and remained there for some immeasurable amount of time. 

Finally, she stroked his head and pulled him back so she could admire his face. It was red and puffy, and he tried to look away. 

“Ben,” she said confidently, holding him still. He looked at her blankly. “Are you ready to go home now?”

He swallowed two, three times, and wiped his face with the back of his arm. 

“Okay,” he said. “I’m ready. But if they try to take me away from you—”

“Don’t worry,” she interrupted, “I won’t let them do that.”

He nodded, putting all his trust in her, and they helped each other stand up. 

“So, what now?” he asked her. Rey flashed him a smile and grasped his hand. 

“Let’s get off this rock,” she said, beginning to pull him along, away from the waterline and the wreck beyond. “I brought an X-WING,” she added. “We can go together.” 

Ben took one last look behind him before allowing her to pull him along to her aircraft. It was an older model, and dirty, but he knew what he was getting into with this choice. The resistance was never full of the modern, high power weapons and machinery that the First Order had access to. Still, he couldn’t stop himself. 

“We’re taking this?” he asked. Rey let go of his hand and he missed the warmth immediately. She climbed up and opened the cockpit latch, smiling back down at him. Did she just ignore me, he wondered.

“You don’t know how long I’ve dreamt of taking you home like this,” she said excitedly. “I mean, I know it’s going to be hard, but Ben,” she exclaimed, “it’s going to be so wonderful too.” 

She sat down and put on her helmet. He sighed. She was getting way too enthusiastic about all this, and he was sure it was going to be much tougher than she anticipated. He climbed inside and she handed him a spare helmet. 

As the glass windshield lower over them and Ben looked over at his own TIE Fighter, knowing he would never fly one again. He tightened his helmet strap and clicked his seat belt. 

“Rey,” he said, intending to warn her about what kind of welcome he was likely to receive. Before he got the chance, though, she powered on the aircraft and immediately got a transmission. 

“Rey? Come in. REY! Please pick up if you’re there!”

“I’m here,” she said nervously. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh thank g—hold on. I’m putting on the General.”

Rey shifted in her seat uncomfortably. And Ben wasn’t ready for what happened next. 

“Rey,” his mother said. At the sound of her voice, his whole body stiffened. “Where are you? Are you okay?” she asked, clearly worried. Then Ben realized, she hadn’t told anyone she was meeting him. 

“Master,” she said, her voice guilty, “I’m okay. Actually, I have something very important to tell you,” she added. Ben grabbed her shoulder, but she gave him a reassuring look. 

“That’s good,” Leia said. “I hope it’s good news, because I have something to tell you too, and you’re not going to like it.”

Ben waited for Rey to answer, but she was taking an extraordinarily long time. Finally, she said quietly, “Is it about Finn and Rose?”

Leia sighed over the comms. 

“They’ve been captured by the First Order. Dameron wasn’t able to break them out with his small task force, so he’s coming back for reinforcements before making a rescue mission.” 

Rey didn’t answer, so Leia continued. 

“I don’t think you need to go Rey, but I’ll understand if you want to.”

“Okay,” Rey said, voice shaky. “Let’s talk about it when I get back.”

“Sure,” Leia answered. “So what’s the good news?” she asked hopefully. 

Rey paused, looking at Ben, then said, “Let’s just say I’m bringing someone home who is extremely dear to you.”

Leia didn’t answer, and Ben stopped breathing. 

After an eternity, she spoke. “Is he ok?”

Rey smiled. “Yes, General, and he can’t wait to see you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how is the story so far? I'm excited to hear your thoughts and opinions on Ben's journey! I feel like it's one thing to tell yourself you're going to change, and another to actually allow yourself to do it. It's not like flipping a switch! 
> 
> But as always, I hope you enjoyed and I'll update soon!


	6. Judgement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey brings Ben to her base, and things get a little spicy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, everyone.

“So maybe I didn’t tell anyone that I was going to meet you,” Rey started, “but don’t worry. As soon as we get there, I’ll take you straight to Master Leia.”

Ben shifted uncomfortably. “Rey—”

“I know you’re tall, so you might have to duck down to avoid being seen.” She glanced at him. “Too bad you got rid of that cloak.”

Did she really think he could just throw a hood over his head and walk past everyone on the base? 

“Rey—” he tried again. 

“I’ll land close by, so we won’t have to go far. If we get to her fast enough, we can probably delay the inevitable confrontation.” 

“Rey!” he yelled. Her shoulders scrunched up. 

“WHAT?” she answered just as loudly. “I’m just trying to go over the plan!”

“The plan—?” he sputtered. Surely, she knew this was no plan. Ben tried to regain his composure and took a relaxing breath. “Rey, I don’t think we’re just going to be able to sneak up to my mother this way,” he explained as coolly as possible.

“Well, do you have any alternatives?” she accused him. 

“Actually, yes,” he said, surprising her. “Why don’t you use the comm to call her to the X-WING?”

Rey was silent. Ben waited patiently. He knew her temper. 

“Okay, that would probably work too,” she acquiesced almost inaudibly. Ben nodded, pleased with himself. “And strap in, because we’re making our descent.”

Ben sat back and took in the view as she lowered them towards what appeared to be a forest clearing. The First Order would have never kept a base in such a beautiful location. Not that it mattered. 

As Rey prepared for final landing, she used the comm and asked Leia to greet them at the X-WING. Ben felt his stomach tighten and become heavy. He realized with horror that he wasn’t ready to see his mother after all. He was terrified. 

Rey seemed to be aware of his mood, because as soon as the X-WING was on the ground, she opened the cockpit shield and turned around to face him. She swiftly removed his helmet, ran a hand through his hair, and locked eyes. 

“It’s going to be okay, Ben,” she reassured him. Her voice was soothing, and he wanted to be angry that she was treating him like a child, but unfortunately her words and actions were having a calming effect on him, and he was able to regain a normal breathing pattern by looking into her hazel eyes. 

“Rey—”

He was interrupted by footsteps approaching the aircraft. Rey looked down first, and he followed suit. She was already here. His mother.

She looked different since the last he had seen her. It had been years, and she was visibly older now, but still just as beautiful. Her eyes were full of tears, and she was regarding him with a look of wonder and love. 

“My son,” she said. He stirred. 

The memory was quick, yet piercing. 

Your son is dead. I am Kylo Ren.

Ben felt dirty, but Rey stood up and jumped down to the canopy. Looking up, she raised her hand, inviting him to join her next to his mother. He hesitated for a moment and climbed down to join them. He took Rey’s hand, and she nudged him forward. 

Leia didn’t waste any time. She could feel his Force signature, and already knew what had transpired in his heart. She pulled him into a tender embrace, resting her cheek on his heart. 

Ben stood awkwardly for a moment, then laid his head on hers. When they pulled apart, he left a small kiss on her forehead. 

“I’m home,” he whispered. She opened her mouth to reply. 

One moment he was talking to his mother, and the next, he was on the ground, his mind reeling. There was a searing pain in his face, and it hurt to move his jaw. He touched it gingerly and flinched. 

Through his stupor he heard yelling. Lots of yelling. 

“POE, what on EARTH do you think you’re DOING?!” Rey’s voice screamed. 

Ben tried to stand up, but when he managed to get pressure on one knee, he was kicked abruptly in the stomach. Ben fell back down and cradled his belly. Just before he passed out, he saw a Resistance fighter hit the ground in front of him. 

He looked oddly familiar. 

“Rey, wait,” someone yelled. And then everything went black. 

Ben jolted awake, but he sat up too quickly and the blood rushed to his head. He laid back down and waited for his head to stop swimming. He closed his eyes and tried to shut off his brain. 

After what must have been a few minutes, he found that he could sit, even stand without feeling too dizzy. He got up and examined his surroundings. He was in a small room with no windows. There was an ordinary metal door but no other exits. Inside the room, he only found the lumpy cot he awoke from and a pan. Disgusting. 

Even the floor was dirt. Ben kicked the bed angrily. He was beginning to remember what happened before. Someone knocked him out. Someone in a pilot’s uniform.

And then it clicked.

Poe Dameron, that no good, rotten Resistance pilot that he once interrogated, had sucker punched him! 

And he did it right in front of his mother too! Ben’s blood boiled. Maybe this was all a mistake. People like Poe would stop at nothing to have him executed, plain and simple. And was any of this worth it if he was going to be imprisoned, away from not just his mother, but from Rey?

The only reason he’d done any of this was so he could be with Rey, and nothing else really mattered. He felt a low growl rising in his chest and clenched his fists. 

Dameron, he seethed. Then a voice broke through his fury. 

“Son.” 

Ben froze. 

“Your son is dead,” Ben Solo whispered, refusing to turn around. 

There was a hearty laugh from behind him, and Ben found himself slowly turning to face the greatest regret of his entire life. Han Solo smiled at him and took a step closer. 

"No, Kylo Ren is dead. My son is alive."

“You’re just a memory,” said Ben. 

“Your memory,” his father confirmed. 

Ben swallowed the urge to scream. 

“You know what you have to do,” Han echoed his own words back to him, and the weight of those words hit Ben in the gut. He turned them over, analyzing. Breathe, he instructed himself. Just breathe. The Darkside feeds on anger. 

“I don’t know if I have the strength,” he wheezed, unable to finish. 

His father flashed that signature Solo smile again. “You do.” 

Ben took a step forward, not wanting this to end. “Dad.” 

I love you. 

Han’s smile widened. “I know.” 

Ben closed his eyes, trying to maintain a semblance of emotional control. But when he opened his eyes, Han was gone. For good, this time, it seemed. His anger had completely dissipated, but before Ben could process any more what had just taken place, there were voices outside his cell. He whipped around. 

“You want to take a break,” Rey was saying. “You’ll come back in 10 minutes and mention nothing of this to anyone.” 

There was a murmured reply, but Ben couldn’t tell what they were saying. He stood in rapt attention, and her mind trick must have succeeded, because suddenly the door flew open, and Rey entered, closing it quietly, and turning to face him. 

“You’re up,” she said, voice full of relief. And then she was tackling him in a bear hug. 

“Oof,” he gasped, as the pain returned to his stomach. She jumped back and floundered around, not sure how to help. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” she squeaked. “Did I hurt you awfully? Are you ok?”

Ben grasped his abdomen and grimaced. “I’ll be fine,” he grunted. He had experienced much worse pain than this and was determined not to look weak. She was already treating him like a fragile child already. 

His face burned when he thought about the way he cried into her embrace yesterday. Her panic faded, and she came in again for a softer hug. Her hands grasped his shirt just below the shoulder blades and she rested her face on his chest. Ben sighed, returning the hug. 

“Ben,” she mumbled into his chest, “I’m so, so sorry about this. I thought I would see it coming if someone tried to hurt you. I thought I could at least prevent you from being physically attacked.” 

Ben sighed. “It’s okay, Rey. Or did you forget who I used to be? I can take care of myself.” 

She pulled back and looked at him with concerned eyes. He gestured at his face. 

“And really, haven’t you done much worse?” he joked lightly. She didn’t find it very funny. 

“Actually,” she said, her face focusing, “I want to try something.” 

He narrowed his eyes. Rey pushed him back until his legs collided with the bed. He felt his face heat up. What exactly did she have in mind? Rey stopped and her jaw dropped open. 

“Why are you... what?” She looked at the bed. “NO, Ben, that’s not what this is!” Her faced turned red. “Just sit down, will you!” 

Ben let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and sat down. He cleared his throat, but the silence between them was thick. Rey placed her hands on his stomach and closed her eyes.

“I read about this in an ancient Jedi text,” she informed him. “Just sit still,” she added. 

“Humph,” he scoffed. “Jedi teachings are useless,” he said indignantly. 

Rey opened her eyes and glared at him. “Whose side are you on again?” 

Oh, right. “Sorry,” he muttered. “It’s a habit.” 

She rolled her eyes, but he saw the small smile that graced her lips. She closed her eyes again and he felt a weak pressure applied to his waist. The pain was momentary. Then something miraculous began to happen. 

The pain flowed away until it was no more. She opened her eyes and poked him. 

“Feel any pain?” she asked. He shook his head, eyes wide. Rey’s smile lit the whole cell, and Ben couldn’t focus on anything else. 

“Great,” she said. “Then I’ll fix that jaw, too.” Before he could object, she cupped his face in her hands and closed her eyes. 

Her face was awfully close to his, and with her eyes closed, cheeks still slightly pink, and lips slightly parted in concentration, he was having a hard time controlling his own thoughts. 

“Rey?” he ventured. 

“Hold on,” she whispered. He shivered. 

His brows lowered in adoration. He didn’t mean to, but found himself slowly moving his face closer to hers until their noses were almost touching. His stomach was out of control and breathing evenly was becoming a real effort. 

There was a strange pressure on his face, causing him to pause. Her eyes fluttered open, and if she noticed their proximity, she didn’t say anything. Instead she observed him with a look of wonder. 

“Your face,” she breathed. He raised his brows questioningly. 

“There’s no scar,” she marveled. He reached up and felt his cheek, and she was right. Not only did his jaw feel fine, but the scar she marked him with so long ago was completely healed. That scar was so deep, he was told it would never heal. 

His hand dropped and he found his gaze shifting towards her lips. Finally, she noticed too, and swallowed nervously. 

“Rey?”

“Yes, Ben?”

He built up his courage. 

“Can I—?” 

“Just do it,” she interrupted, clearly too impatient for him to be a gentleman. He didn’t need to be told twice. 

Grasping her neck, he pulled her lips against his and was greeted with a jolt of electricity as they touched. She gasped, lips parting, and he didn’t waste any chances. 

He sucked on her bottom lip, nearly biting it, before sliding his tongue into her mouth. Rey moaned and her hands tangled themselves in his hair, pulling him closer. Ben’s whole body was on fire. 

She responded to his burning kisses with her own tongue, and he felt her settling into his lap, knees locked by his hips. The feeling of her legs clenching around his thighs sent shivers down to his groin and he felt himself buck beneath her. 

That broke the kiss, if only for a moment, and she gasped in surprise. Her eyes were large, round, and passionate, her cheeks rosy. They had already been apart for too long, and Ben pulled her back, resuming the kiss. 

He expected her to push him back, but instead she leaned forward and her weight almost knocked him flat on the bed. Her hips grinded against his and he couldn’t stop himself from groaning, and loudly at that. 

This also seemed to flick a switch, and Rey pulled back. She slid her hands onto his chest, ensuring he couldn’t make any moves, and tried to catch her breath. 

“Ben,” she huffed. She scrambled off him, and by all accounts was shocked, not from his actions, but her own. 

Ben couldn’t stop himself this time. His face broke into a grin that encompassed his whole face, and Rey found herself mesmerized. She had never seen him smile like this before. His smile was infectious, breathtaking. 

She smiled back, embarrassed, but satisfied. 

“I, um, I’d better get back,” she stammered after a long moment of staring, now making wild gestures towards the door while backing up. “They’re going to come back soon, and— oh, why am I explaining myself to you?”

Ben cocked his head, still smiling. This didn’t seem to be helping her become coherent again as she reached the door and put her hand on the knob. 

“I’ll be back soon, I promise. They won’t keep you here long. I’ll see to it!”

And then she turned around and almost hit herself opening the door. He heard the guards return to their posts, but he didn’t care anymore. 

Maybe this temporary cell wouldn’t be so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so......? What are your thoughts? I would love to hear from you in the comments! 
> 
> See you soon!


	7. Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rebels hold a trial for Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad you're enjoying so far!

That night he dreamed of her. 

When he woke, he found himself back in that pathetic little cell the Resistance had confined him to, quickly leaving the pleasant dreamscape he’d grown so comfortable with. The dream was slipping away fast, and Ben closed his eyes, trying to hold onto memories of her soft hair, loving eyes fixed only on his, and her warm kiss. 

But it was already wispy, eluding him, and he groaned, opening his eyes and sitting up. He was left feeling lonely and abandoned, and he realized, with chagrin, that his pants were uncomfortably tight. 

“Great,” he muttered. “That’s perfect.” 

He stood up and paced around the cell, trying to clear his thoughts and settle down. At some point, a guard threw a plate of cold food on the floor, eyeing him with contempt and slammed his door. 

Nothing else happened, and the morning passed by uneventfully. Anger started to creep into Ben’s mind again. They sure were taking their sweet time. Why not just get it over with? He had almost expected they would just execute him and move on. 

As he was reminding himself to cool his temper, the door opened again. There were four guards flanking the frame, and he told himself not to laugh. Scared, much? 

As they parted, Rey walked in. She smiled sheepishly at him. 

“There will be a hearing,” she said. “I would have gotten you myself, but everyone felt more comfortable with…”

“Backup,” he offered, his voice teasing. She blushed, but Ben sensed it was borne from annoyance rather than embarrassment. She closed the distance between them quickly, startling all the guards. 

“Don’t worry,” she whispered, only a foot from him. “I’ll defend you, Ben.” 

She was awfully close. He felt a rush of blood, remembering yesterday’s— interaction. He nodded curtly, and then raised his hands before his chest. 

“So do you need to cuff me?”

Rey gave him a look, and then stifled a laugh. The guards looked ready to beat him to a pulp, and one even stepped forward, perhaps considering it. But Rey pushed his hands down gently. 

“Not necessary,” she said. “Just stay with me and don’t make any stupid decisions, ok?” 

Ben raised his eyebrows. “What kind of stupid decisions?” he teased. She grabbed his arm and pulled him along with her towards the door. 

“Just keep your mouth shut, Ben.”

Rey lead Ben to a clearing. In front of them was a raised, stone semi-circular structure for a panel of officers to sit at. It was flanked on either side by amphitheater seating for everyone else. In the center sat his mother, Leia. Around her were Dameron and some other officials Ben didn’t recognize. 

He was pleased to note that Dameron had a large black mark on one eye and was nursing some kind of chest pain. He stole a glance at Rey and smirked, remembering her screaming at Poe before he blacked out. Good girl. 

In the seats surrounding the generals sat pilots, mechanics, and anyone else who sided with the rebels. Ben spotted Chewbacca in the crowd and felt his heart grow heavy. Next to him was Lando Calrissian, who had grown much older since Ben had seen him last. 

Both of them had been like uncles to him, and Ben couldn’t bear to look at them. He was expecting there to be lots of murmuring, talking, or even yelling. Instead, the crowd was dead silent, and for some reason, this seemed much worse. 

A trickle of sweat ran down his brow, and Rey’s grip on his arm tightened. 

“That’ll be all,” Leia said solemnly, addressing the guards. “Thank you for your service.”

They looked at each other uncertainly, then at Ben, and dispersed into the crowd of seated rebels. That left only Ben and Rey standing in the center.

Leia gave a small, painful smile. “Rey, you may be seated too.”

But Rey didn’t move. She shook her head viciously, mouth clamped. To others, it may have looked like she was trying to keep him under control, but Ben knew why she refused. He felt a small twinge of comfort and straightened his back, preparing for the worst. 

And it was bad. The officers prattled off his list of atrocities causing the crowd to erupt, jeering and heckling him. He felt Rey finch occasionally, and Ben realized maybe she hadn’t been aware of some of his exploits. The officers didn’t seem all that interested in keeping the crowd under control, so Leia did. 

She was still as graceful but commanding, as always. On her order, everyone was silenced. She looked at Ben and nodded, her eyes crinkling. 

“We shall now hear from the accused. What do you have to say for yourself?”

His eyes widened. What was he supposed to say? He looked at Rey, questioningly. 

“You need to take responsibility for these crimes first,” she whispered. 

A rustle went through the crowd as people wondered what kind of relationship they had. Ben cleared his throat. 

“I plead guilty to the crimes listed,” he said, still unsure of exactly how they expected him to answer. The crowd went crazy, and Rey pulled him just a little closer. 

“I will have silence,” Leia commanded, and they quelled yet again, but the discontent was palpable. 

Leia shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her eyes resolute. 

“I understand that there are many people here today who would testify to your misdeeds, but seeing as you confessed freely, we’re going to commence the next part of this trial.”

Grumbles from the crowd. 

“So instead, is there anyone who would like to speak on the behalf of Kylo Ren?”

“I will,” Rey said, causing Ben’s stomach to fill with lead. 

Her voice was stanch, but he could feel her nervousness, rippling under her mask of projected confidence. But Leia nodded, and Rey began. He wondered how much time she invested in thinking about this.

“Before taking the name KYLO REN, this man was a young padawan, and the son of Han Solo and Princess Leia. His name was Ben Solo.” 

She paused, allowing the crowd to absorb this. While many people knew these facts, not everyone did, and Rey wanted to make sure his noble past was clear. 

“He trained under Master Luke Skywalker, himself, but despite having such accomplished heroes around him, Ben Solo was always a target of the Empire.”

“It was, in fact, because of his lineage that Supreme Leader Snoke took advantage of Ben Solo in the first place, and ever since his childhood, Snoke warped his mind, eventually leading him to turn.”

Ben’s eyes fell on Lando and Chewie again and saw the pain on their faces. He looked away, ashamed. 

“But I didn’t always know these things, and I used to hate Kylo Ren,” she said. Ben found that he couldn’t look at her either and tried pulling out of her grasp. In retaliation, she squeezed harder. 

“When I met Master Luke before the Battle of Crait, the Force began to do something strange, though. I know not all of you understand or even believe in the Force. I won’t ask you to, but instead, I plead that you’ll instead rely on your trust in me.” 

Rey was indeed popular among this crowd, and a pulse traveled through them when she said these words. 

“The Force began connecting us in a way that hasn’t been seen in centuries, and it allowed me to see inside his mind. Kylo Ren was growing more and more conflicted with his part in this war, and the Force showed me a possible future in which he was redeemed for his crimes. This future had Kylo Ren renouncing the First Order!”

Rey was getting excited telling this part of the story, and Ben remembered their conversation in the elevator before meeting Snoke. They had been so close then, that he had almost kissed her. He wondered now what might have happened if he’d made a different decision then. 

“There’s something that I need to confess now that I haven’t told anyone,” Rey said. 

“The one who actually killed Snoke and enabled me to come back and rescue the entire Resistance from the battle of Crait… it wasn’t me,” she said, emphasizing the last part. 

Then she let go of his arm and raised both her hands, like she was showing him off. 

“The one who killed Snoke and let me go was Ben Solo. Without him, I would be dead today.”

There was a momentary silence before all hell broke loose. After an eternity, Leia regained control, and had her eyes fixed on Rey. 

“So you’re saying that Kylo Ren killed Snoke and let you go?” 

Dameron interrupted, his face furious. “How do we know he didn’t do that just so he could become Supreme Leader himself?!”

Cheers of assent followed his words. Rey stiffened. 

“Because I can see his mind,” she retorted angrily. Poe staggered back. 

“He didn’t do it for power. He did it to rescue me. As it turns out, Ben and I share a special Force Bond; we’re a dyad.” 

Ben grabbed her hand warningly. He wasn’t sure it was a good idea to tell everyone. She looked at him startled by the sudden contact, and then nodded slowly. 

Everything will be okay. 

She looked back at the crowd. “When I brought him here, it was because I could see his mind had rejected the Darkside and come back to the Light.” 

“OR,” countered Dameron, “he tricked you so he could come here, find our base, and destroy us all. Did you even consider that now he knows where our base is, and he could call General Hux to destroy this planet?” 

Rey huffed, but before she could yell back, Leia answered his question. 

“No, that’s not it.” 

All eyes were on the princess. 

“I’ve also felt his Force signature. While I can’t read his mind, I am his mother and have known him all his life. As soon as I saw him yesterday, I knew his heart had changed.”

Ben’s breathing was shallow. This could really go either way at this point. He found Chewie in the crowd and knew what he had to do. 

“I want to say something,” he said, voice shaky. Everyone looked at him, and he almost choked up. 

He fixed his gaze first on Chewie and Lando, and then on his mother.

“I know that I don’t deserve forgiveness, or the right to atone for all my crimes. I don’t deserve it, but I think I still need to say this… that, I am sincerely, profoundly, sorry for my actions.” 

He could feel his throat threatening to close up. 

“I don’t expect anything from anyone, but I have changed, and I know I was… am, a monster.” His voice was getting weaker by the word. “And I’m so, so sorry for what I did to my own fath—”

He cracked, and Ben felt his chest constricting his lungs as he collapsed on his knees. Rey was there instantly, supporting his back, and taking his face with her other hand. 

“Ben?” Her eyes were round and wild. “Ben, just breathe,” she said. 

He could hear the crowd, but couldn’t make out what they were saying, only that he had caused an uproar. 

“Get him out of here!” Leia instructed Rey. 

And then she was yanking him up and they were running.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like as much as Ben wants to change of his own will, he won't be able to until he confronts the people he's really hurt, especially those he was close with before. Chewie and Lando being there to remind him of Han's words allows Ben to finally admit to people that he is sorry for what he did. And of course, Leia too. 
> 
> Anyways, enough of that. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and as always, I'll be back soon with another!


	8. Verdict

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rebels pass judgement on Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so that last chapter was rough. Thanks for sticking with me though. It's worth it, I promise.

Ben found himself being pulled into the Millennium Falcon, of all places. Under different circumstances, he may have protested, but he was exhausted from his emotions betraying him just now. 

So he let her guide him through the familiar passages and into some sleeping quarters. She led him to the cot, and he slumped down on it. Then, after a second thought, she ran back to the door and locked it. 

Ben was too internalized in his own mind to notice and was staring at his lap, breathing finally under control. Rey approached him wordlessly and sat down by his side. They sat in silence for a few minutes while he collected his mind. 

Finally, he looked around the room, and then at Rey. There was a multipurpose stick leaning against the desk, and all sorts of scavenged parts laying around. Some white robes were folded neatly in the closet. Ben took it all in. 

“Are these… your quarters?” he asked. Rey nodded, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. 

“Why am I here? I mean, why did you take me here?”

She shook her head, clearly still flustered from the hearing. 

“That was… kind of crazy,” she admitted. “I don’t want to put you back in that stupid cell, only for them to drag you out and do who knows what.”

Ben marveled at her. She was so strong and beautiful. 

“I just want to make sure everything is under control,” she said. 

He nodded and then ran a hand through his hair. 

“I’m sorry about how I acted,” he said. “I thought I was going to be fine, and then it all just hit me at once…” he trailed off. 

Rey smiled sweetly. “You were great,” she said. There was a long pause. 

“Won’t we get in trouble when they find out I’m in your room?”

Rey slapped his shoulder. “Why do you have to make it weird?” she whined. “Anyways, I’ll take responsibility if they get angry.”

They settled into a tense silence.

“What if things don’t go our way?” he asked after a while, saying what must be on both of their minds. “What if they decide to execute—”

Rey grabbed his shirt in both hands and yanked him forward, their noses brushing. 

“I can’t do this without you, Ben Solo. I won’t let that happen. Leia won’t let that happen.”

He couldn’t help it, but from this distance her lips became a lovely distraction, and he found himself staring. 

“My eyes are up here,” she whispered, and his eyes mapped her face, finally meeting her own hazel orbs. This time he didn’t ask. He crashed his mouth into hers, and she responded immediately, pushing back. 

She managed to tangle her hands in his hair and pull him closer, but Ben awkwardly didn’t know what to do with his own hands. He found them settling on her waist as he leaned forward into the kiss. 

He nipped on her bottom lip, forcing her to part her mouth, giving him the access that he was craving. Rey moaned and his arms broke into goosebumps at the sound, especially knowing that he caused it. 

Rey pulled back to catch her breath, but Ben didn’t want to stop. He grazed his lips along her neck, peppering it with kisses all the way to her collarbone. How many times had he dreamed about doing this?

“Ben,” she sighed. 

Hearing his name whispered that way only made his heart beat faster, and he sucked on her skin until she pulled his face back up to hers. That was sure to leave a mark, he thought absentmindedly. 

Rey kissed him again, this time more slowly, sucking on his lips playfully before pulling away. He raised his eyebrows questioningly. He didn’t want to stop, not ever, but she was drawing a line, and he knew better than to cross it. They both took a few deep breaths to anchor themselves.

“You should get some rest,” she said, tracing the place where his scar used to be with a delicate finger. He wasn’t sure he was going to be able to sleep after their recent activities, but he wanted to humor her, so he nodded. 

“We need to be ready for whatever they decide,” she justified. He nodded again. 

“Sure, but Rey?”

“What?”

Ben laughed, smirking. “There’s only one bed here.”

She slapped him on the shoulder again, and his smile broadened. Rey thought she would never get tired of seeing it. She pushed him back on the tiny cot, and he laid down with his back to the wall. 

He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t for her to lay down facing him. She pressed her forehead against his and intertwined their hands. Their knees tapped together, and both settled into position. 

They laid there for a long time just admiring each other before finally drifting into a light sleep. 

Ben was aroused by an urgent pounding. He sat up and robbed his eyes groggily. 

“What is it?” he complained. 

Then Rey opened the door and he remembered where he was. Leia entered the room and they made eye contact. The corners of her mouth twitched, and it dawned on him what this may look like, him lying in Rey’s bed. He flung himself to his feet and tried to push down the heat rising to his cheeks. 

Rey closed the door behind Leia, and there was an awkward moment of silence before she laughed airily. Ben and Rey exchanged a look. 

“Sorry,” she said. “It’s just so funny that all this going on while you two are hiding in here like Romeo and Juliet.”

Rey’s face burned. “Master, I’m sorry, I should have—” 

Leia waved a hand dismissively. “I already suspected you two might possess a … special relationship. Especially after that display during the hearing.”

The way she said special made Ben want to slam his head into the wall. How did things ever come to this? Rey was looking desperately at the floor, face red as a tomato, and Ben couldn’t blame her. 

“So this is a dyad,” Leia marveled. They both looked up. “I’ve studied it before, but never thought I’d live to see one.”

“Mo—mother,” Ben said, testing the word on his tongue. The room was very quiet when he spoke. “I don’t want to be rude, but did they make a decision?”

Leia sighed, and then wrapped him in a tight embrace. It was long overdue, this hug, and Ben welcomed it. Too soon, she let him go and looked at both of them. When she spoke, her voice was trembling. 

“You’re going to be pardoned,” she said, “mostly because of the information about Snoke. No one knew that it was you who killed him,” she admitted. “We all just assumed it was Rey.” 

Rey and Ben exchanged a look. 

“And that makes a big difference,” Leia said. “But there are a few important conditions.” 

Rey moved next to Ben, her eyes as big as saucers. He felt her hand slip into his, and he steeled himself. 

“As long as you are on a military base, you are to be under supervision,” she began. “Furthermore, the Resistance admits that you may have renounced your past, but there isn’t enough trust that you wouldn’t return to it.”

“…. Therefore, you won’t be allowed to participate in any missions or hear any information pertaining to any missions.”

Ben was confused. Was this even a punishment? He didn’t even want to be a part of the Resistance.

“Am I being exiled?” he asked. Leia rolled her eyes very much like Luke would have. 

“No, son. You just can’t be involved in this operation. And as far as we know, Rey is the only one capable of beating you in a fight, so she will be expected to guard you while you’re on this planet.”

Ben opened his mouth to speak but he was speechless. 

“Oh, and one more thing,” she added. “You’re not permitted to leave this planet until the war is over. Some officers are afraid you’ll contact the First Order and give away our location.” 

“Dameron,” Ben seethed. Rey stepped on his foot and he pulled his hand out of hers in surprise. 

“What?” he protested. 

She shook her head and then addressed Leia. “That’s really all?” she said, unbelieving. 

“Really,” Ben said. “It seems way too forgiving.” 

“Do you want to die?” Rey almost yelled at him. 

“Ben,” Leia interrupted, “being part of the Light means learning to forgive and give second chances. The Sith may have taught you anger, fear, and death, but here, we like to believe in the best of people.” 

She smiled. “You may want to give it a try.”

As she turned to leave, Leia paused, and turned around cautiously. 

“And Ben,” she added. “I know you loved your Father, and he would be proud of you right now. Welcome home, my son.”

Rey locked the door after Leia left, and looked at him with concern. 

“Are you okay?” she asked.

He nodded, and it was actually true. For the first time in years, Ben Solo felt good. Really good.

“I don’t want to fight for the rebels anyway,” he said with an air of indifference. 

“Not that,” she said, confused by his sudden changing the topic. “I mean about… you know? Han?” 

Ben nodded. “I’m okay, really.” 

Rey nodded back and pecked him on the cheek. “Good.”

Ben hesitated, then laid a chaste kiss on her mouth. She smiled, and he kissed her again, with a little more passion, letting his hands fall on her hips. 

“I told you it would all be okay,” Rey whispered, and nuzzled her nose against his. Ben couldn’t take it anymore. He plunged his tongue into her mouth while pulling her hips against his. 

She grabbed his shoulders, his neck, and moaned, pulling him closer. They stumbled backwards until Ben bumped into the bed, and he fully intended to throw her on the mattress until they were interrupted. 

“Planning on giving me great-grandchildren already?” the snarky voice teased. 

Ben broke the kiss and yelped, causing Rey to take a step back looking very confused. Over her shoulder, he saw Anakin’s ghost sitting on her desk nonchalantly watching them. His eyes widened and he barely stopped himself from cursing the old man out. 

“Ben, are you ok?” Rey asked, looking at the desk, her confusion growing. She can’t see him, Ben realized.

“I only want you to see me right now, kid,” Anakin answered, correctly surmising Ben’s thoughts. 

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay since I saw you last… And that you were making good life choices,” he chuckled. And then he disappeared. 

“Am I missing something?” Rey said, losing her patience. Ben looked around, paranoid. 

“It’s—um… it’s okay,” he said. “Sorry,” he added. “I’m sorry, I just thought I heard…”

Rey narrowed her eyes. “Heard what?” she asked suspiciously. 

Ben laughed nervously. “Nothing, nothing. I’m sorry, Rey. Can we just pretend like that didn’t happen?” 

When she didn’t answer, he got desperate. 

“Please?”

Rey sighed and kissed him on the cheek. “Fine. But you owe me.” 

He flushed a little but nodded. “Okay, more than fair. Thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think Anakin is funny. haha. 
> 
> As always, I hope you liked the update. See you next time!


	9. Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben spend some time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter contains EXPLICIT material. If you don't want to read that, you may want to stop reading after this line:
> 
> Recognition flashed in her eyes and she blushed. “Oh, right. Okay.”
> 
> Okay. Everyone else, have fun! lol

They decided that even though Ben had technically been pardoned, and could theoretically walk around freely, that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea yet. With that in mind, Rey offered to grab something for them to eat and return. 

Ben watched her go, and then sat on the floor and crossed his legs. Placing his hands on his knees, he took a few slow breaths and called out with his mind. 

“Changed your mind, did you?” asked Anakin, appearing in front of Ben in a similar position. Ben narrowed his eyes.

“Have you been stalking me?” he growled. “Don’t do that again.” 

Anakin chuckled. “Well, of course! You’re my only grandson, and I want to know how you’re doing.” 

Ben thought about the other day in the prison cell, when he kissed Rey for the first time. 

“Well DON’T!” he yelled defensively. “You can’t just drop in like this,” he added, lowering his voice. 

“Okay, okay, I won’t stalk you anymore,” he teased. “But I will still check up on you occasionally.”

Ben knew he shouldn’t be bothered by such stupid things, but he still found it pissing him off and remembered what Leia said about forgiveness. He made an active attempt to calm down and forced a smile. 

“Fine,” he grumbled. 

“Good,” said Anakin cheerfully. Ben rolled his eyes and moved to stand up, intending to end the conversation, but Anakin blocked the door. 

“But I have one more question,” he added. Ben looked at him suspiciously. “Are you going to marry that girl?”

Ben’s face twitched, but otherwise he didn’t move a muscle. His thoughts, on the other hand, were a bit out of control. 

“That’s none of your business,” he rumbled under his breath. Anakin wagged his finger.

“On the contrary, it’s completely my business. Like I said before, kid. You’re the only heir to the Skywalker name. If you don’t have any children…”

“Skywalker is my uncle’s name,” he argued. “And maybe I don’t want to be a father,” he continued. 

Anakin tisked his tongue. “Your father may bear the name Solo, but the blood of the Skywalkers runs through your veins too. You are both. You don’t have to choose only one.”

Ben folded his arms, expression rigid, indicating his will to end the conversation, and Anakin looked disappointed. 

“Fine, we can talk about it later I guess,” Anakin conceded. “Just remember, you aren’t getting any younger.”

“Go away,” Ben groaned almost painfully, and then he was alone again. He slid the door open and wandered into the lounge of the Falcon, allowing himself to be overcome with memories of days long past. His fingers traced the arcade table as he passed. 

This place was once filled with the deep, hearty laughter of his father. He found himself standing in the doorway of the cockpit and rested his arm on the doorframe by his head. He’d done his fair share of laughing here too, before it all went to hell. 

Ben grimaced and entered the cockpit, looking at the controls, and finally allowing his eyes to linger on the pilot’s seat. Just for a moment, he could see Han Solo sitting confidently there, eyes bright. His father looked at him with that signature cocky smile. 

“Hey kiddo. Grab a seat,” Han said. As the memory of his father wisped away, Ben smiled. Genuinely. 

“Thank you, Dad. For everything,” he said. He didn’t notice Rey behind him until she rested her forehead on his back. 

“He would be so proud of you,” she said softly. 

Ben turned around and wrapped her in a tight hug. “And of you,” he said. 

She pulled back a little and looked at him wide-eyed. Ben couldn’t resist caressing her face. “I know you saw him as a father-figure,” he murmured. “For what it’s worth, he cared about you too. He was a good man.”

Rey’s lip trembled and Ben leaned forward, kissing her delicately. He pulled back just enough to see her expression, and she sighed. Then, dropping the bag of food she was carrying, Rey wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in to a much hungrier kiss. They stumbled back clumsily, and he bumped into the control panel. 

“Rey,” he gasped, catching his breath.

“What?” she snapped; impatience was written all over her expression. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and then smiled. He nodded at the panel behind him with his head. 

“Not here.”

Recognition flashed in her eyes and she blushed. “Oh, right. Okay.”

She grabbed his wrist and dragged him through the lounge and down the hall. As soon as they were in the room, they locked lips, and Ben guided his hands down to her waist. He backed her into the wall and moved his mouth down her neck again. 

“Oh,” she squeaked as he began kissing and nipping at her skin. “Ben!”

He didn’t make any attempt to reply, but instead tried lifting her shirt, but it was stupidly complicated. Rey shook with laughter, and he stopped kissing her collarbone to appreciate the moment. 

“It’s not that hard,” she giggled, her laugh betraying her obvious nervousness. He raised his eyebrows, challenging her. 

She pushed him away and unhooked her belt. She had stopped laughing now and her cheeks and ears were a bright red. She removed the cloth strips from her shoulders and then tentatively touched his chest, willing him to come closer. Her hair was disheveled, his work, and was barely being held in place by a single band.

He pulled it out, loosing her hair, and slowly raised her white shirt. She stood only in her pants and chest wrappings now, and Ben groaned greedily when she glided her hands under his own loose tunic, touching his stomach and back. 

There was a knot of nerves forming in his stomach and his pants had grown far too tight. Their eyes met and he eagerly raised his arms so she could undress him. 

Rey made a funny noise, and he knew she was thinking about that night on Ahch-To, when she saw him shirtless for the first time. He grinned, taking advantage of her distracted mind, and pulled her by the hands towards the bed. 

He pushed her down as gently as he could, given their mutual excitement, and climbed over her, resuming their kiss. Her hands roamed his body and his hips ground against hers, earning a low whine from Rey. 

She parted her legs, and when he pressed himself against her, she yelped. Her eyes were wide and anxious. Ben felt his own cheeks burn. “Is this okay?” he asked. 

“Yes,” she said almost too enthusiastically. “Don’t stop,” she breathed. 

He nodded and tried removing her chest straps. He huffed, having a hard time finding the end. Rey giggled and cautiously guided his hands to the right place. Ben made a mental note to memorize that location for future reference. 

Before she could get any more self-conscious, he trailed a line of kisses from her mouth to her chest, and she began making the most delicious noises when he tackled her breasts. 

“Ahh, Bennn,” she stammered, writhing against him. He reached for her pant line, and finding no obstacles here, pulled them off in one swift motion. He pressed his lips against her belly and all around her underclothing, her gasps sounding especially loud when he found her inner thigh. 

Rey groaned his name in frustration, and he got the message. Sliding back up, his lips met hers again and she pushed her tongue into his mouth, devouring him. 

Rey’s fingers moved from his scalp, down his back, and eventually hooked on his belt. He broke the kiss, impatiently, and helped her yank his pants off. Ben removed her underclothes and she scrunched her face up, clearly annoyed that he had the upper hand. 

“Not fair,” she muttered almost inaudibly, before pushing his own shorts off with her feet. They took a moment to look at each other, really look, and then they were kissing again, as if the world was about to end. 

She wrapped her legs loosely around his hips and he skimmed his hands down her thighs, gripping her tightly. 

“Rey,” he panted, “I can’t wait anymore.”

She nodded anxiously, and Ben pushed into her without a second thought. He let out a deep groan. It was magnificent, and lights flashed across his vision. He must have gone too fast, though, because Rey winced in pain, gasping. 

Ben stopped and waited for her to catch her breath. After an eternity to Ben, she nodded. 

He groaned again as his hips worked against hers, and he nestled his face in the crook of her neck as he thrusted. It didn’t take long before she was gasping too. She was so tight. 

With every thrust he made, Rey moaned and sighed his name, over and over, sending shivers down his spine. She dug her fingernails into his back, and Ben never realized how sweetly torturous pain could feel. 

They couldn’t seem to get close enough for their liking, and Rey squirmed under him, trying to find a new angle. She managed to prop her hips up by bending her knees, and at the new angle, Rey’s moans became louder, making him ache and driving him crazy. 

He bucked against her wildly and Ben knew he wasn’t going to last much longer. He hoped she was close. Faintly, he could feel her thoughts, and he tried to synchronize with her. The last thing he wanted was to finish early, satisfying only himself. 

He lifted his face over hers so he could see her expression when they came and was dazed to find her looking back at him. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, and he left his thoughts open and unrestricted to her, knowing that she too was in his mind. 

Then he pumped his hips hard one last time and they both saw stars. He collapsed over her, heaving, his flesh all sensitive and prickly. Once he caught his breath, Ben pulled out and suspended himself over her with his arms. 

She reached up and pulled her face to his, kissing him. It was a gentle kiss considering how passionate they were just minutes before. She laid back down, and he followed her back, kissing her again. 

“Rey,” he whispered, stroking her arm, light as a feather. 

“Hmm?” she asked, clearly satisfied and unsuspecting. 

“I love you,” he confessed, watching her closely. She froze, and then her eyes met his. 

“You do?” 

“I do.”

Her eyes softened and she kissed him again. “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> blush blush blush 
> 
> I've never written anything like that before guys ... but I hope you enjoyed. Feel free to leave a comment.


	10. Priorities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe throws another wrench in things. That boy just can't help himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you so much for your support!!

Rey shifted sleepily in the bed and opened her eyes. She felt warm all over. She yawned and moved to sit up and stretch, but something around her waist pulled her back. 

“Not yet,” Ben murmured under his breath behind her, eyes still closed, hot breath tickling her ear. Rey’s face flushed as yesterday’s memories returned. As if on cue, her stomach growled, and she also recalled that they never ate their dinner. 

Was he still sleeping, she wondered? Delicately, she tried to remove his arm from her waist, but succeeded only in causing him to tighten his grip. 

Rey huffed and made an effort to roll over and turn around. Apparently, he was fine with this, because Ben didn’t stop her this time. She took a moment to admire his face. 

It was so strange that there was no scar now, and she traced her fingers over where it should have been. Ben opened his eyes, watching her. 

“Oh, so you are awake,” she said sarcastically, but he knew she wasn’t angry. 

“Hmm,” he replied lazily. 

Absentmindedly, she found her fingers playing in his hair. 

“Ben,” she said at last. 

“Hm?”

“How long are you planning on holding me hostage?” 

He smiled mischievously. “Oh, I don’t know,” he said. “How about, forever? Sound good?”

She smacked him lightly and he laughed. “Sure, but I’m hungry, so get off,” she said lightly.

Ben pushed her down on her back and kissed her. She opened her mouth, letting him in, and he made a low growling sound as he deepened the kiss. They both had to gasp for air when he pulled back. 

“Fine,” he muttered. “But can I come with you this time? I think we technically broke the rules yesterday anyway when you left me alone to grab the food.”

They both sat up as he was talking. “I mean, what if I decided to run away and blow up the planet?”

Rey rolled her eyes. “You know why he said that,” she countered, climbing out of bed and getting dressed. 

“Why are you defending him, Rey? Do you not remember when he punched me in the face? Or when he tried to have me killed yesterday?”

Rey groaned. “I’m not defending him,” she said, her voice angry. “But I won’t pretend I don’t understand how he felt. He doesn’t know you like I do.” 

Ben crossed his arms defiantly. “Okay, I see how it is.” 

Rey sighed, grabbing a towel, and sat down next to him. 

“Ben,” she said. He looked away. “Ben,” she pleaded, softer this time. 

“What?” he growled. 

“Look at me, please?”

Reluctantly, he turned back and looked at her. 

“When he hit you the other day, I was pissed,” she said, and Ben felt his chest swell. He remembered the black eye Poe was sporting the next day. 

“Sometimes he doesn’t think things through. He’s impulsive, and sometimes a little stupid, but you have to try and see things from other points of view. And what did he see? Kylo Ren standing next to the Resistance General. He panicked.”

“Next to you too,” Ben added. “And there were no weapons.”

“I know, I know,” Rey said, “he’s impulsive, but he’s also my friend. Please try to forgive him. Can you at least try?” she pleaded. Ben grumbled. 

“No promises,” he said. “But I’ll try.”

Rey grinned, and he felt guilty. There was no way he was going to ever like Poe Dameron, but this was better than arguing. 

“I’m going to grab the food,” she said, “why don’t you get cleaned off first?” 

Ben raised an eyebrow. “Why not together?” he teased. Rey’s ears turned scarlet, but she tried to hide it. 

“Hah, wow. Um, I’m going to get the food now, okay?”

Ben grinned. “Okay.” She dropped the towel on the bed and left the room. 

Rey closed the door and headed to the cockpit. The food from yesterday would still be fine, and there was no reason to go get more just yet. She grabbed the bag and headed back through the lounge. 

“Rey,” called a familiar voice. Poe ducked his head and entered the Falcon. She stopped, wishing she’d put more attention into her appearance. 

Her hair was still down and disheveled. She hadn’t bothered with the strips of cloth over her shoulders and was only wearing the undershirt and her pants. They were ruffled from last night’s activities. Rey willed her cheeks not to burn and smiled. 

“Hey, Poe.”

Poe looked around suspiciously and Rey felt a twinge of annoyance. 

“It’s fine,” she said. “He’s not going to jump out of the shadows and attack you.”

Poe gave a dry laugh and settled his attention on her. “I just don’t trust him, that’s all.”

“Poe.” Rey was tired of this argument already. “I can sense his thoughts, feelings, … intentions. He’s with us now. He won’t betray the Resistance.” 

Poe looked skeptical and waved her off. “Actually, I didn’t come here to talk about Kylo Ren.”

“His name is Ben.” Her tone was nonnegotiable. 

“Okay, sorry, I didn’t come here to talk about—Ben,” Poe said with a little difficulty. 

She nodded. “What’s up, then?” she asked. 

“Finn and Rose,” he said. Rey straightened up. 

“Leia said they were captured and that you were going to stage a break-out,” Rey said. She had forgotten all about it given the trial yesterday. Poe nodded.

“Ky—Ben’s trial interrupted things, but that’s still the plan. My team is taking off soon.” He paused. “Rey,” he said. “We could use someone like you with us.”

Rey hesitated. If she left, then she could help her friends, but … “But Ben’s not allowed…”

“Absolutely not,” Poe growled. “He can’t come. It’s part of the conditions of his pardon.” He spit the last word out in disgust. 

“And I can’t leave him here either,” she added. “Isn’t that another condition? Who would watch him?”

Poe was confused. “I don’t know, but who cares about him, Rey? They’ll find some guards if they have to. Don’t you want to help your friends?” 

Rey pursed her lips. She did want to help her friends, but she didn’t like how he was twisting the situation. 

“Even if I don’t go, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to help,” she said slowly. Poe wasn’t taking this well, and she noticed his clenched fists. 

“Look,” he said. “We’re leaving in an hour. If you want to help, then come by my X-WING before then.”

Rey nodded solemnly. “Okay, I just need time to think.” 

Poe scoffed.

“Really, Poe, I will think about it. Just give me some time, okay?”

“Fine, but I have one more question,” he said, struggling to control his tone. Rey shrugged. “What’s your relationship with him, exactly?”

Of course, that was the question. Rey scowled. “I don’t really think that’s any of your business,” she replied tartly. “Now I’m going to consider your offer. See you later.”

She walked away first, and slid the door open to her quarters. Ben was sitting on the bed, toweling off his hair. Rey felt his mood before he even opened his mouth. 

“Dameron was here,” he said, his voice harsh. She couldn’t seem to catch a break between the two of them. 

“Honestly,” she complained, “you two are like bickering children.”

Ben looked surprised. “I guess the conversation didn’t go so well, huh?”

Rey made a face and handed him the bag of food. “I’m going to wash off,” she said, purposefully ignoring him. “You wanna set this out in the lounge?”

He nodded and left the room. After Rey was clean, she toweled off, dressed in fresh clothes, and plopped down next to Ben in the booth. He had already prepared everything but seemed to be waiting.

Rey grabbed some food at looked at him questioningly. “Were you waiting for me?” she asked. 

He nodded. “Of course.”

Rey giggled. “What a gentleman. You don’t have to do that, you know?”

“Well,” he said, “I was raised that way. And I wanted to wait.” He looked at her pointedly. 

It was one of those moments where Rey discovered something new and deep about him that was overwhelming. How could he be the same person that tortured ‘rebel scum’ as this flirty boy with proper table manners? 

“Thanks for waiting,” she murmured. He nodded and pecked her on the cheek before taking his own food. Rey’s stomach felt light and fluttery for the rest of the meal. 

Once they were both done, she turned and crossed her legs so she could face him. 

“Ben, I need your help making a decision.”

Ben was cleaning up, putting the trash into the bag neatly. “Is it about Dameron?”

Rey wavered. “Wait, were you listening?”

He snorted. “No, Rey. I just figured based on your mood when you came back from speaking to him.” 

“Oh, right. Well, yes, it is about that.” 

She didn’t know how to ask, and Ben took the opportunity to face her as well and rest a hand on the side of her head. He closed his eyes, and she felt him enter her mind. She almost shoved him out in surprise at the suddenness of it. 

When he pulled his hand back, Ben looked irritated. “Some friend,” he said.

“Not this again,” she grumbled.

“It’s not even that,” Ben argued. “He wants to send you directly to General Hux and the First Order for two people? Why doesn’t he just light the beacon himself if it’s so important?”

“I need to work on getting you some friends,” Rey joked, trying to lighten the mood as well as prevent herself from getting pissed off at him again. His expression was deadpan. 

“There’re my friends,” she explained. “I want to help them.”

“That’s it?” 

“That’s it.”

He scrutinized her face. “I think the stormtrooper likes you.”

“WHAT? NO. No, he does NOT. Also, he’s not a stormtrooper anymore!”

Ben’s face remained neutral, and then it clicked. “Are you jealous, right now?” Rey demanded. Ben was silent. “I can’t believe this,” she said, almost to herself. 

“After last night you’re still jealous of Finn? Come on, Ben!”

Some color rose to his cheeks. “I’m not jealous,” he said. “I just don’t like him.”

“You don’t like any of my male friends,” she countered. 

“I— okay, maybe not, but that’s not because I’m jealous,” he said lamely. 

Rey took a deep calming breath. “Look, I need some time to think about this.”

He shook his head. “Stay with me,” he said. 

Rey’s breath caught in her chest, and he repeated himself. 

“Stay with me.” Please. 

“Ben…” 

“Let the Rebels take this one,” he pleaded. “I… worry about you.”

She was torn, and when he took her hands in his, it didn’t help. 

“Just this once,” he begged. Rey felt herself give in, and she nodded. Her eyes watered, and he brushed her face with his thumb. His thoughts were loud and clear. 

I love you, Rey. 

She nodded, blushing, and trying not to cry. 

I love you too, you idiot. 

He chuckled and pulled her in for a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really got a kick out of writing that final argument between Ben and Rey. I mean, let's be real. He doesn't like any of her friends LOL. But all her friends were trying to kill him so.... haha. Yeah...
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and would welcome any feedback!


	11. Uprising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben is confronted by his past and Rey receives some news about the Resistance efforts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys, thanks for all the comments on the last chapter! I hope you enjoy this one just as much.

“Rey, please stop pacing,” begged Ben. He was sitting in front of Chewie’s favorite arcade game in the lounge of the Falcon watching Rey slowly lose her mind. 

“I just feel like something horrible could be happening to them, and I won’t even know,” she said. She turned on her heel, continuing to wear out the floor in front of him. He sighed. 

“They’ll be fine,” he said as soothingly as one could about people they didn’t like. She glared at him, pausing her march. 

“Do you really believe that?” she demanded. 

“Yeah, why not? They eluded me for years. I’m sure they’ll be fine,” he reasoned. 

Those were clearly the wrong words, and Rey looked like she was searching for something to throw at him. Being in a relationship was a steep learning curve already for Ben. And on top of that, Rey was, politely said, a short fuse. 

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly, considering shielding his face. Rey just sighed and continued her pace. Before anything else could go wrong, they heard someone approaching the ship.

Ben sensed the familiar Force signature and felt his stomach go cold. Chewbacca entered the room slowly, looking first at Rey, and then at Ben. His legs did the thinking for him, and Ben stood up immediately. 

Rey had also stopped moving, and perhaps breathing, as she anxiously watched the pair. Chewie ignored Rey and lumbered straight to Ben. He raised one big arm, and Ben closed his eyes, flinching. He had no intention of dodging. 

And then he was enveloped in the warmest, hairiest hugs one could imagine. Ben’s eyes stung as he realized he wasn’t being murdered by his father’s best friend. But he had told himself he was done crying, and he bit back on his tongue. 

Chewie let him go, and then whomped him on the side of the head, hard. Ben’s cheek stung and he heard a low ringing sound in his ear. He stumbled to the side, but Chewie caught him, as if expecting him to fall. 

He let out a low growl in Wookie but Ben was still dealing with the ringing in his ear. 

“What?” he gasped. 

“He said he wanted to kill you before, but feels differently after seeing the trial,” Rey answered solemnly.

“I think I need to sit down,” he said cautiously. He was feeling rather lightheaded. Rey ran to him and helped him slump back down. Chewie sat in front of him while Rey stood awkwardly next to them. 

Chewie growled again, and this time Ben was hearing a little better. 

“I understand,” Ben said. “I would have wanted to kill me too. But I meant what I said back there.”

Chewie was watching him closely. 

“What I did to my Father is the single greatest regret of my life,” Ben said. “Afterwards, I really wanted to die too.”

Rey sat down beside him and stroked his hair. Chewie seemed to process this and nodded. He answered in another low growl, this one gentler. The meaning was clear. 

“How can you forgive me so easily?” Ben demanded. 

“I don’t think it was easy,” Rey whispered. 

Chewie agreed, explaining that he watched Ben grow up and understood what he had gone through, to a certain extent. And while he was devastated by Ben’s actions, watching him return to the light was something Han had always wanted. And if Han had to die for Ben to come back, then he would have gladly given his life again. 

Ben was stunned. It was such a selfless reason that he had trouble understanding it. The only time he came close was when he thought about Rey. This must be the power of true love, he ascertained. 

“Thank you,” he said to Chewie. Chewie nodded. And then Rey hiccupped. Ben looked at her and realized she was crying. He turned quickly and pulled her into a hug. 

“What’s wrong?” he panicked. “Are you okay?”

Rey’s tears wet his shirt and neck. She sniffled. “It’s just beautiful, how much those around you loved you.”

Of course, it could be that, but Ben knew there was more to it. Rey didn’t have any parents or childhood friends to care for her in that way, and it was definitely playing a hand in her reaction. 

He put one hand on the back of her head, holding her to him, and rested the other on the small of her back. He massaged her back, rubbing slow, comforting circles there. 

“You have me,” he said, answering her unspoken thoughts. “I’m always here for you, Rey.”

Neither of them had noticed Chewie leave the room, probably looking at the engine or something, and choosing to give them space. Rey’s arms encircled his waist and he could feel her mind struggling to remain in control. 

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “It’s okay to cry,” he promised. And, finally, she did, her whole body shaking, and wept into his neck until her tears were spent. They sat like that, comfortably, for a while. Rey’s breathing slowly returned to normal. 

“I’m okay now,” she said quietly, her voice raw. Ben let her sit back and rub her eyes, which were now red. “I don’t know where that came from.”

Ben gave her a knowing look. “You don’t have to lie to me,” he said. She smiled sheepishly and nodded. 

“You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize either,” he said. 

“Rey?” someone else called.

They both followed the voice. Gracefully as always, Leia entered the room. 

“Master,” Rey exclaimed, wiping furiously at her face. 

“I have news,” Leia said before looking at Ben. At first, he didn’t understand. 

Oh. 

“You need me to leave the room,” he said uncomfortably. 

“That’s the deal, son,” she said, looking equally unhappy. 

Ben stood up, but Leia moved faster. Grabbing him by the arm, she pulled him close, and Ben froze. But she looked at him carefully, eyes soft, and traced a hand down his cheek. He relaxed and smiled. 

“You look so much like him,” she said, nostalgia filling her voice. 

“Is that a good thing?” he asked, and Leia just laughed lightly. 

“I don’t even know,” she chuckled. “He had a tendency to drive me crazy.” 

Ben laughed too and hugged his mother gently. Then they let go, and sparing one last look at Rey, Ben left the room. He found himself in Rey’s quarters without even planning his course. He wasn’t sure what to do to kill the time. He sat down on the bed and sighed. 

He figured the conversation had to be news about Dameron or her other friends. FN-2187. Or Finn, as he was called now. And who was the other? It was a girl, he thought, but the name eluded him. He’d never bothered learning it. 

These people had never mattered to him before, although, he figured that would probably have to change whether he liked it or not. Then, without warning, Rey’s mind slammed into his. She was experiencing many different emotions at once. 

Finn and Rose have escaped, she thought, and are leading an uprising! 

What.

Ben was lost. How could they be leading an uprising? He was tempted to go back and ask, but he knew his mother was only trying to follow protocol. He didn’t want to make things difficult for her. Not anymore. 

So he stood up and waited until she eventually sprinted into the room and slammed into him.

“Ben!” she yelled, grabbing him by the arms. “Finn and Rose escaped! I can’t believe it!!” 

“Are you sure you should be telling me this?” he asked curiously. 

“Oh, who CARES about those stupid rules,” she snapped. Ben held back a grin. “What’s important is they are okay, and somehow Finn started a Stormtrooper rebellion!” 

Ben was assaulted with a flurry of emotions. Finn, FN-2187, got an entire unit of Stormtroopers to revolt? He wasn’t sure if he should be impressed or irritated. Rey sensed his emotions and smacked him on the shoulder. 

“What?” 

“Whose side are you on?” she said angrily. 

“Yours, yours, of course,” he answered quickly. “I just think that they clearly weren’t trained well if they were able to be turned with such ease.” 

“Who said it was easy?” Rey argued. 

“I mean,” Ben stuttered, not wanting to dig this hole any deeper. She pressed him with her eyes. “I mean, it was Finn who turned them right?” 

“BEN!”

“I’m sorry!” he cowered. Rey huffed. 

“I am,” he said. “I’m sorry! Was there anything else?”

She didn’t seem eager to tell him anymore, so he decided he needed to cheat. He pulled her into a tight hug. 

“Ugh, what are you doing?” she squirmed. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, holding her despite her best efforts. “Please forgive me? I just need more time with your friends…”

She stopped struggling and Ben took the opportunity to loosen the hug and catch her by the lips. His plan worked, and she gave in, kissing him back hopelessly. 

“You cheat,” she huffed, pulling away eventually. He couldn’t hide his smile. 

“So there’s a huge battle going on at Coruscant between the Stormtroopers and the First Order right now,” she finished. “Poe is there too, with air support.”

Ben nodded. “I see. So do you feel better now?”

“Yes, and no. I’m glad they’re free and started a rebellion there. And it’s amazing that Finn was able to save more people from the First Order and get them on our side too.”

“But you’re worried they’re still in danger because of the battle,” Ben proffered. She nodded gravely. 

“Finn is trained as a Stormtrooper. He’s a capable soldier… And there’s something else…” 

Rey seemed to already know what he was going to say. 

“He’s Force Sensitive,” they said in unison. 

“Does he even know?” Ben asked. Rey shook her head.

“I’m not sure…” 

“Either way,” Ben argued, “with those two factors on his side, he’ll be fine. You need to learn to trust others, Rey. You’re not the only one around here who knows how to fight,” he teased. 

She scoffed and made to smack him. This time he caught her wrist and pulled her to his chest. Her eyes widened, and Ben smirked. 

“Also, you have got to stop hitting me, Rey. It makes me want to do bad things with you,” he suggested wickedly. 

Her face burned and she made a mental note to store this conversation away for later use.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this is almost done... Only one chapter left! Thanks for sticking with this story. I've had so much fun writing it!! 
> 
> I'm actually considering writing some one-shot Reylo drabbles after this story is completed. If you'd maybe be interested in reading those, please let me know in a comment! 
> 
> Alright, I hope you enjoyed, as always, and I'll update soon with the grand finale!!


	12. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the Rebels do their thing, Rey and Ben figure out what to do next with themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, on the last chapter. I have to admit, I'm going to miss this story. I ended up making it a few pages longer on accident because I guess I didn't want it to end lol. Enjoy!

One day passed, which slowly turned into two, before Rey seemed to lose her patience. Ben was honestly surprised she had lasted this long. When she made her decision, he was sitting outside the Falcon on a downed tree trunk that had been repurposed as a bench. He often sat out here to clear his mind. You could only sit inside a ship for so long. 

Sometimes rebels would smile at him as they passed, or simply stare, as if they were starstruck. Some of them wouldn’t make eye contact out of unadulterated fear. 

But most of them just glared, making their displeasure unknown. Ben glared right back whenever Rey wasn’t around. He didn’t care what they thought as long as they left him alone. 

But today he was bored.

A group of pilots had just passed by, one of them giving Ben the finger. He looked around and didn’t see Rey. He wasn’t going to hurt the guy, just give him a little push. 

Onto his face. 

Into the dirt. 

He raised his hand slightly, aimed, and then heard her voice. 

“I dare you to do that,” she hissed. “Go ahead. See what I do.”

Ben’s hand fell limp and he turned around, giving his biggest smile. Rey was standing behind him, hands placed firmly on her hips. He didn’t even feel her coming. She was getting good…

“Do what?” he questioned innocently. She rolled her eyes and stepped over the log so she could sit next to him. She was carrying a tan bag, slung over her shoulder.

“I can’t just sit here and do nothing anymore, Ben.”

He narrowed his eyes, knowing exactly where this conversation was going. She shifted uncomfortably, looking around. Then she reached into the bag stealthily and eyed him quietly. 

“You’re not supposed to have this back yet,” she nearly whispered. “But I don’t care anymore.”

When she pulled her hand out, she was grasping his new lightsaber, which they’d taken from him days ago upon getting knocked out by Poe. Ben pushed her hand down and looked around nervously. 

Rey was surprised. “Since when do you care about breaking the rules?” she asked.

“I don’t,” he snapped. “I just don’t want you to get in trouble.” 

She snorted. “Just take it. You can hide it under your shirt,” she suggested. 

It was hard to turn down the new weapon. It meant a great deal to him. He took it quickly, clasping it to his belt and pulling his shirt over it. 

“So now what?” he said tersely. “Are we going to sneak off and go fight with your friends?” 

Rey grimaced and stood up. “I can’t leave them to do this alone, Ben. You know what they mean to me.” 

He stood too but couldn’t make eye contact. He was too annoyed. They’d been on and off lightly fighting about this for the last two days or so and Ben was running out of things to say. 

“Are we going to do this every day now?” he asked. “Fine, I’m tired of fighting. Let’s just go if it’s so important.”

Rey’s eyes ballooned. “Really?”

He swallowed, knowing he’d live to regret this decision, and nodded. Rey grinned and grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him into a kiss. Surprised by her spontaneity, he moaned, allowing her to slide her tongue into his mouth. 

Had either of them been thinking, they would have realized this wasn’t a great location for such behavior. Ben grabbed her waist instinctively, pulling her against him. When they inevitably broke apart for air, Rey pushed him back vaguely. 

He was going to protest, but then he felt it too. There were some rebels watching them, a few with their mouths wide open. 

“Well this doesn’t look good,” Ben muttered, releasing Rey immediately. 

“How long have you… what kind of – what is this?” one of them sputtered nonsensically. Thankfully, before either of them had time to answer, a loud cheering erupted from the main headquarters tent. 

Rey grabbed Ben’s hand and dragged him there. Everyone was huddled around a radio, yelling and cheering loudly. Ben wasn’t really sure he should be here, but he caught Leia’s eye, and she smiled. 

Suddenly he felt a pulse ripple his entire body. He knew this feeling, the feeling that someone had died, the Force channeling their spirit to another plane.

The radio cracked and the rebels listened attentively to Finn’s voice. 

“It’s OVER,” he yelled, voice fevered. “The turned Stormtroopers and Rebellion forces have overtaken Coruscant. The planet is ours, and we’ve wrecked the Finalizer!”

“What happened to General Hux?” someone shouted. 

“He’s gone,” muttered Ben, although only Rey heard. She hadn’t felt it because she wasn’t as familiar with him. 

“He’s dead!” yelled Poe. Blown up with the Star Destroyer and the rest of those First Order scum!” 

“Now there’s no one to lead the rest of them! We really did it,” Rose yelled ecstatically, taking the comms from Poe. 

“It’s finally over,” Leia said quietly. Her expression was a mixture of relief, some shock, and maybe a little sadness. This war had cost her so much, and Rey moved through the crowd and enveloped her in a strong hug. 

The rebels around Ben began to disperse in order to spread the news. He even heard some of them talking about collecting for a big party later. He used the chaos to move close to his mother and Rey undetected. Rey grabbed Ben and pulled him into the hug with Leia. 

When they let go, Ben saw tears in Leia’s eyes and his stomach clenched. 

“It’s really, finally over,” she said again, and he realized hers were tears of relief and joy. 

“Yes, it is,” he said. She nodded, and then mentioned something about taking a nice, relaxing nap. Rey laughed a little and slid her hand into Ben’s, smiling warmly. 

“So much for your plans of treason and heroics,” Ben teased. She narrowed her eyes playfully. 

“Ben Solo,” she drawled. “Me, treasonous? How dare you suggest such a thing?”

A deep laugh bubbled up in his stomach, bursting out of him. She looked a little surprised. 

“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you laugh so hard,” she said with a mystified smile on her face. He worked to control his laugh. 

“Rey, I think I’m going to have a lot of ‘firsts’ with you,” he admitted more openly than usual. Her cheeks bloomed and he squeezed her hand. 

“I’m gonna hold you to that,” she promised. 

One Month Later

“Rey, just breathe,” Leia instructed. 

Rey turned around in front of the mirror and inspected herself critically. She was wearing a simple white dress with little lace flowers running down from her waist. The dress had no sleeves because Naboo was warm around this time of year and she didn’t want to be overheated on such an important day. 

“I’m trying,” she stressed, “but this is just so— OH, I don’t know!” she exploded. “Maybe I’m making a huge mistake!”

Rose giggled and Rey took a few deep breaths, willing herself to calm down. 

“How you’re feeling is totally normal,” Rose promised her. “Most brides get cold feet right before they walk down the aisle. That’s why I’m here to push you when you panic.”

Leia laughed lightly. “Maybe I shouldn’t be hearing this conversation,” she joked, making Rey’s face burn. 

“Mast—I mean, Leia, no, I’m sorry, I just—”

“I’m kidding,” Leia said warmly. She placed a hand on Rey’s shoulder and squeezed. “You’ll be great. Don’t worry.”

As Leia left the tent, Rose stood up and forced Rey to stop looking in the mirror. 

“What’s done is done,” she said. “So, stop stressing. They’re going to start any minute now.”

“Is that supposed to be helping? Because it’s not helping,” Rey ranted. Rose sighed. 

“It’s not like he’s going to bite your head off, is he?” 

Her voice was teasing but Rey knew that Rose still didn’t quite understand her relationship with Ben yet. In fact, most people didn’t. That was why they chose to make this wedding very, very small. 

But Rose was trying, and Rey was so grateful that she had decided to listen and give Ben another chance. Not everyone was so inclined, and in the time since the war had ended, the two girls had grown to be close friends. 

Rey sighed. 

“Of course not,” she answered. “I don’t even know why I’m nervous. This is so stupid.”

Rose opened her mouth but was interrupted by a small band beginning to play. She grinned. “That’s your queue. I’ll see you out there.” 

Rose scurried out of the room, leaving Rey alone. She took a few deep breaths and stood in front of the tent’s opening. Then she pushed forward. 

The wedding was outside in a scenic meadow with a enormous lake in the backdrop. On one side was a forest, and the other was a huge building that Rey was informed had hundreds of sleeping rooms just for temporary use. Such frivolity astounded her, but Naboo was a completely different world from the one she grew up in. 

It was nearly sunset, and the city lights nearby were just turning on for the evening. To her left stood the witnesses Finn, Rose, Leia, Chewie, and even Lando. 

Finn still didn’t really get along with Ben, that much Rey knew, but she was hoping that could change with time. Ever since the war ended, Finn had been training with Rey and searching for Force Sensitive children with the intention of bringing them to back to her for training. 

She hadn’t mentioned it to Finn yet, but she and Ben had already agreed to train the younglings together. He wasn’t sure he was really ready, but Rey was determined to do this with him. Ben was confident about a great many things, and she wanted his new-found redemption to be one of them. 

Ben was already standing directly ahead of Rey under the marriage arch looking as handsome as ever. His hair was brushed back to reveal his forehead. He was wearing a loose white shirt, tucked into some black pants, and an expensive, opened, navy-blue jacket. 

When their eyes met, she felt at peace, and she slowly approached him. There was no one to walk her down the aisle, but that was okay. Rey didn’t need anyone else but him. 

The ceremony was over fast, really just serving as a formality, and it was all a blur. They promised to always take care of each other, no matter what, and to always love each other. They exchanged rings. They kissed.

Once it was all over, they had a small little party and Ben squeezed Rey’s hand the whole time. He must be nervous too, she thought.

And he was. Ben’s mind was a blur. He wanted to end this afterparty fast and get out of there. Social events like this had always made him uncomfortable as a child and teenager too, and he learned to dread them. They were designed for people who liked to mingle, and Ben Solo was NOT a mingler. 

When he finally dragged her away, they retired to their own little cottage in the woods. Ben was nervous as they walked in, despite the fact that they had been staying here together for at least a week prior to the wedding. 

He shuffled off his jacket and hung it on a peg by the door. Rey was unusually quiet, which was just making him more anxious. Ben cleared his throat. He had never seen her wearing anything like this before, and she was more beautiful than ever. He had been staring at her all night. 

“Are you thirsty?” he said. “I’m thirsty.” 

Anything to break the tension. He moved towards the kitchen, but Rey grabbed his arm as he tried to pass. Whatever it was that she wanted to say seemed to be giving her a hard time, but she finally spoke up. 

“I just want to get out of this dress,” she admitted softly. Ben felt his whole face heat up and he knew he had turned beet red. “I just don’t like dresses,” she added defensively. “They’re not my style.”

If he wasn’t thirsty before, he was now. Ben’s throat was very dry as he turned her around and began to unbutton the back of the dress. The buttons ran all the way to her hips, and when he was done, he opened the dress to reveal her back. 

Delicately, he traced a finger down her spine, and she shivered. 

“Ben…” 

His name on her tongue was all it took. He slid the dress off her shoulders, letting it fall on the ground. He expected her to be shy, but she turned around eagerly and started unbuttoning his shirt. 

They fell into a familiar routine, and the nervousness evaporated, leaving their clothes scattered on the floor around them. Limbs tangled as they found their way to the bed. But this time, unlike the others, Rey pushed Ben onto his back and climbed over him. 

They kissed, breath mingling, and Rey ran her hands through his hair, making him moan. She started kissing his neck, his chest, and – oh. This was new. 

“Rey,” he whimpered as she moved lower. She kissed his stomach, marveling at his muscles, but didn’t stop there. She ran her hands down further. As she moved her face back up to kiss him again, she wrapped her hand around him, and he practically stopped breathing. Then she started stroking him. 

Ben wheezed. He couldn’t focus on both the kiss and what her hand was doing to him. He felt his thoughts unravel and he tilted his head back on the bed, panting, as she rubbed faster, picking up the pace. 

“Rey, ungh, don’t stop,” he begged, and he felt himself coming close. She chuckled, her lips brushing his ear, and he couldn’t take anymore. His hips shuddered against her hand as he came, gasping.

Ben took a minute to catch his breath before trying to roll Rey on her back, but she wouldn’t let him. Well, if that was how she wanted it… 

He sat up, and she tightened her thighs around his hips, smiling. He couldn’t reach her face in this position, so he focused on her chest instead. He began kneading her and then kissing and sucking until she was the one panting.

“Stop, stop,” she gasped, pushing him down, her cheeks rosy.

“Stop?” he teased. 

“I need you. Now,” she said. Ben smirked. He loved seeing the effect he had on her. 

She really didn’t waste any time. Her hips crashed into his impatiently and Rey’s breath hitched at the sudden, deep contact. She gripped the sheets, bracing herself, and began riding him, slowly at first. Ben moaned. This was a new position, and neither of them had realized how much more intimate it was. 

As she rocked faster against him, Rey’s breath started coming in short spurts, and Ben was mesmerized by her beauty. From this angle, he could appreciate her whole body, her well-toned muscles, sun-kissed tan, and flowing, messy hair. 

He placed his hands on her hips and began thrusting back, causing her to make a low whine and arch her back in pleasure. 

“Ah, ahhh, Benn,” she panted. He knew she would come soon, and thank goodness, because he wouldn’t last much longer at this rate. She bent over him, allowing him to take total control from beneath her, and rested her face in the crook of his neck. 

Ben moved faster, feverish, grinding into her with a fury. She kissed him as he worked, and with a final push, they shuddered against each other and she collapsed into his arms. 

The room was silent except for their heavy breathing as the world slowly came back into focus. Ben rolled Rey onto her side so they could hold each other comfortably. 

“Rey?” he asked.

“Mmm?”

Ben stroked her hair idly. 

“Thank you.”

“For what?” she asked sleepily. 

“For saving me,” he said. Rey looked at him, her eyes loving. 

“You saved me too, you know,” she said. “So I guess we’re even.”

Ben swallowed hard and smiled, content. 

“Hey,” Rey whispered. “I love you, Ben Solo.”

Nothing in the world could make him happier. 

“I know,” he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU to everyone who read this and left comments or kudos! I really appreciated all the love and support, especially since this was my first Star Wars fic amongst other firsts. 
> 
> I hope this helped fill the void left by TROS for you like it did for me. Freaking JJ Abrams... 
> 
> I'll be posting new shorter stories about Rey and Ben very soon. In fact, I already have one up called The Interrogation Room, if you want to check it out. I hope to see you there!


End file.
